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Class JK.15L 
Book. ,Ri? 
Copyright N° 

COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 



OUR STATE AND NATION 



OR 



CIVICS MADE INTERESTING, PRACTICAL 

AND COMPREHENSIBLE 

FOR CHILDREN 



A TEXT BOOK ON CIVIL GOVERNMENT FOE THE COMMON 

SCHOOLS OF ILLINOIS 



U. J. HOFFMAN, 

County Superintendent of Schools, La Salle County, 



CHICAGO 
W. M. WELCH & COMPANY 
L- 



THE LIBRARY OF 
CONGRESS, 

Two Copies Received 

SEP. 17 1901 

Copyright entry 

CLASS ^XXc. Na, 

COPY B. 



Copyright 1901 
By W. M. Welch & Company. 



■^ 



PREFACE. 

In the supervision of schools the author has felt the 
need of a book on civil government within the compre- 
hension of children in the sixth grade. 

In this grade they begin the elementary U. S. History. 
The want of definite notions of the machinery of gov- 
ernment stands in the way of a definite understanding 
of what they read and are taught about the life and 
growth of our nation. 

The attempt is here made to give the twelve-year-old 
child as clear an insight into the structure and work- 
ings of our government . as the intelligent citizen has, 
who has not made a special study of the subject. It is 
thought to be a good plan to alternate these lessons 
with those in elementary history — a lesson in the his- 
tory one day and in civil government the next. It 
should be reviewed in the seventh and sixth grades and 
special stress laid upon county and town government 
and land survey. 

If a more detailed knowledge is desired, it can be ob- 
tained from other more elaborate works on Civil Gov- 
ernment, of which there are many. 

It is the hope of the author that this little book may 
not only give the children of our great State a working 
knowledge, but that by its aid the teachers may inspire 
an active and abiding love for the land in which we 
have the good fortune to live. 

THE AUTHOR. 



OUR STATE AND NATION. 



CHAPTER I. 
Government. 



Government means control. In this country we say 
the people govern themselves. But this does not mean 
that each person controls himself. It means that each 
person is controlled to some extent by all the rest. 
The people make the laws. They choose officials who 
compel all to obey the laws who fail to do so of their 
own choice. Our -government is a Republic. We say 
the right to govern belongs to the people themselves. 
In some countries the government is an absolute Mon- 
archy. There the king claims the right to govern in 
his own way. The people have nothing to say. They 
must obey the king as children obey their parents. He 
makes the laws and chooses the officials who aid him 
in the work. When he dies his son or other relation 
next, in line of succession takes his place whether the 
people wish it or not. In a Republic the people have 
a plan for making their own laws, choosing the offi- 
cials who shall govern, and replacing both laws and 
officials with others when more than half the people 
want a change. 



6 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

KINDS OF OUR GOVERNMENT. 

Our country, the United States of America, is di- 
vided into parts called States and Territories. The 
states are divided into parts called counties. The coun- 
ties are divided into smaller parts called towns, and 
the towns may contain cities, villages and school dis- 
tricts. Each one of these divisions has a government of 
its own, suited to its needs. The national government 
extends over all the United States; the state govern- 
ment extends over the state only; the county govern- 
ment extends over the county; and so also with the 
town, city, village and school district governments. 

The national government is in Washington, District 
of Columbia, for its chief officials are there, but its 
minor officials are scattered all over this country and 
over other countries where they are needed. The state 
government is in Springfield, and minor state officials 
are scattered over the state where they are needed. 
The county government is at the county seat, and the 
town government meets at the Town House. The city 
government meets at the City Hall. 

The city or village government is made up of the 
officials that are elected by the people who live in the 
village or city. Its laws, called ordinances, are made by 
these officials, and provide rules for doing what needs 
to be done in the city or village that is not already 
taken care of by state laws, such as paving the streets, 
lighting the city, keeping order on the street, provid- 
ing for water and drainage. 



GOVERNMENT. 7 

The county government is administered by officials 
elected by the people of the county. The Board of 
Supervisors makes rules for doing the things that need 
to be done in the county and which are not provided 
for by state laws; such as building roads and bridges, 
fixing and collecting taxes, caring for the poor, fixing 
salaries of county officials and enforcing the county and 
state laws in the county. 

The state government is administered by officials 
elected by the people of the state. In it reside all the 
powers that rightfully belong to government except 
such as have been given over to the national govern- 
ment. It makes laws about wrongdoing against per- 
sons and property, the education of the children, car- 
ing for the insane, the blind, the deaf, and the feeble- 
minded. It cannot make war against another state or 
nation, coin money, enter into agreements with other 
nations; for these and many other rights have been 
delegated to the national government. 

The national government has all the powers that 
rightfully belong to governments, powers that concern 
all the people of all the states alike and that have not 
been reserved to the states. It makes treaties or agree- 
ments with other nations. It may declare war against 
other countries. It coins and prints the money to be 
used by the people of the nation. It improves rivers 
and harbors, and builds roads that are for the good 
of all the people. It punishes those who violate the 
laws made by the United States. 



8 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

In an absolute monarchy the king- has all the power 
in his own hands and may use it to injure the people, 
and they cannot help themselves except by making war 
against him, which is very hard to do. In a republic 
the power is in the hands of the people, and they can 
soon turn out of office those who do not govern ac- 
cording to the people's wishes. 

We think the plan of separating the government into 
so many kinds a very good one. Each has its particular 
work to do, and so if a part be badly done it need not 
all be bad, and can be more easily changed. Then, 
too, the work of governing that concerns people most 
closely is in the hands of officials right at home. If 
these officials do not do their duty they can readily be 
turned out of office. The work of governing that does 
not come very close to any one personally is in the 
hands of officials who are farther away. 

In the past, the work of governing had been much 
abused and the people had suffered. When our fore- 
fathers formed our plan of government they tried to 
put every possible check upon the officials so that they 
could not injure the people through bad laws. You 
can see how the plan of having several governments 
acts as a check upon bad laws. But you will see that 
even a greater check has been provided when you stud} 
the general plan, as set forth in the national govern- 
ment. 



GOVERNMENT. 9 

THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED 
STATES. • 

In the year 1787 the people of this country, then 
only thirteen colonies, sent their ablest men to Phila- 
delphia to formulate a plan for a new government. 
George Washington was made chairman of the conven- 
tion. The foremost men of every colony, who had done 
much for the country during the Revolutionary War, 
were members. They worked all summer, and when 
they were through they had written the Constitution 
of the United States. 

This instrument sets forth the plan of government, 
states what kind of officials shall be chosen and what 
they shall do, what the general government may do* 
and what the state government may not do. It is the 
supreme law of the land. Neither the state govern- 
ments, nor that of the United States, may make laws 
that are forbidden by it. All the state constitutions 
are modeled after it. In Illinois even the county and 
city governments are formed after the same pattern. 



CHAPTER II. 

The National Government. 



The first check that is put upon the possible abuse 
of the power to govern is provided by dividing the 
government into three departments, legislative, exec- 
utive, and judicial, each one independent, each having 
its particular powers and rights, and yet all necessary 
to the work of government. If any department does 
wrong another department may prevent that wrong 
from going into effect and injuring the people. The 
three departments working for the general good are 
likely to serve the best interests of the people. 

THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT. 

Congress is the department that makes the laws. 
In order that its members may not easily conspire to 
make bad laws, Congress is divided into two houses, 
the House of Representatives and the Senate. Each 
meets separately and each may prepare a law, but the 
other must also agree to it before it can become a law. 
To provide a greater check the President of the United 
States is given the power to say "no" (to veto) any 
proposed law. When he does this the proposed law 
fails unless it goes back to Congress and is agreed to 
by two-thirds of the members of each House. 



THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. 11 

When a law has been made the work of Congress 
ends. It cannot make anyone obey the law, nor can it 
decide who has disobeyed the law and punish him 
for it. 

There are over three hundred members of the House 
of Representatives whose term of office is two years and 
who are elected from congressional districts in every 
state. A district usually embraces several counties. 
Our district is No , and comprises the counties of 



The name and residence of our Representative is 



There are two Senators from each state. They serve 
six years and are chosen by the State Legislature, not 
directly by the people. The names and residences of 
our Senators are 



12 OUR STATE AND NATION. 



THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT. 



The Presidency of the United States is the executive 
department. The name and address of our President is 



His duty is to execute the national laws, that is, to re- 
quire all people to obey these laws and to punish those 
who do not. He is the Commander in Chief of the 
Army and Navy. If it is necessary he can call these 
out to assist him in enforcing* obedience to the law. 

It is a great deal of work to keep the government 
going, so the President needs a great many officials 
to help him. He has the power to appoint men to do 
this. But that he may not appoint bad men, the Sen- 
ate is given the power to say "no" to his appointments, 
and prevent him from appointing anyone whom they do 
not believe to be the proper man. The President's 
chief assistants are called 

THE CABINET. 

The President's cabinet is composed of men each of 
whom is at the head of a great department under the 



o 




THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. 13 

President. They are so close to him that each is called 
a member of the President's official family. Each has 
thousands of men under him to transact the business of 
his department. Each has a great building in Wash- 
ington for offices. They all meet with the President at 
the White House in cabinet meeting. Here they talk 
over their particular business with the President, re- 
ceive orders and suggestions from him, and give him 
advice when he asks for it. Each does his work in his 
own way, yet, since the President is to blame if any- 
thing goes wrong-, he can at any time order a cabinet 
officer to do differently. 

THE STATE DEPARTMENT. 

The state department is considered the one of great- 
est dignity in the cabinet. It is the department of for- 
eign affairs. The head of this is called the Secretary 
of State. The name and residence of the present Sec- 
retary is 



His duty is to take charge of all business that the 
United States government has with any other nation. 
He has a man at the Capital of every nation who is 
called our Minister or Ambassador. And every nation 
has a Minister or Ambassador at Washington. If our 
government wants to transact any business with the 
government of England, our Ambassador at London is 
the man who attends to it. Our Ambassador is treated 
much as the President would be if he were there, for 
he represents the President. 



14 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

The Secretary of State has also a man in every im- 
portant city in other countries who is called the Con- 
sul. It is his duty to do all he can for any of our peo- 
ple who are in his city. If you should inherit property 
from a grandfather in any foreign country the American 
consul in the nearest city is the official to look after it 
and see that you get it. If an American is arrested, the 
consul sees to it that he has a fair trial. He inspects 
all invoices of goods sent from his city to this country 
to see that the revenue laws are complied with. 

THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT. 

The member of the cabinet who is at the head of this 
department is called the Secretary of the Treasury. 
His duty is to collect all the revenues, safely keep the 
money collected, and pay it out as directed by Con- 
gress and the President. He has charge also of coining 
gold and silver and issuing paper money. 

Among the chief officials who work under his gen- 
eral directions are the Treasurer of the United States, 
whose duty it is to safely keep the money and pay it 
out as directed by law; the Register of the Treasury, 
who has charge of the bookkeeping and accounts of the 
government; the Auditor, who examines all the ac- 
counts and sees that they are correct; the Comptroller 
of the Currency, who supervises all the national bank- ; 
the Commissioner of Customs, who superintends the 
collection of the taxes on goods sent into this country. 

There are many more of equal rank with these, and 
under each there are many who look after the details. 



THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. 15 

In every city where goods are received from for- 
eign countries there is a collector of customs. All over 
the country there are revenue collectors who collect 
the tax on tobacco and liquors. 

The name of the present Secretary of the Treasury is 



THE WAR DEPARTMENT. 

At the head of this department is the Secretary of 
War. His duty is to take charge of all business that 
pertains to the army. The Secretary need not be a 
military man. He usually is not, but all the chief offi- 
cials under him are men trained for the army. 

The name of the present Secretary of War is 



Among the chief officials are: The Adjutant Gen- 
eral, who conducts all the correspondence, issues the 
Secretary's orders to the commanders of the army and 
receives all reports from these; the Inspector General, 
who inspects the condition of the army and the accounts 
of money spent on maintaining it ; the Quartermaster 
General, who has charge of all clothing and general 
army supplies; the Commissary General, who has 
charge of the food supplies. These officers are at the 
head of bureaus. There are also several other officers. 



16 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

The Military Academy at West Point, New York, 
where boys are trained to become army officers, is also 
under the control of this department. 

In time, of war the United States army is usually 
organized as follows: 

The President of the United States is Commander 
in Chief, but he does not take active command. He 
usually appoints the General in Chief, and he commands 
all the armies. All other generals are subject to his 
orders. He is subject only to the President. An army 
is a wing of the military forces operating in a certain 
section of the country to accomplish a certain work. 
There may be two or more of them, each consisting of 
more or less than a hundred thousand men. 

A general commands an army. An army consists of 
two or more corps, each consisting of twenty or thirty 
thousand men. 

A lieutenant general commands a corps. A corps 
consists of two or three divisions, each consisting of 
ren to fifteen thousand men. 

A major general commands a division. A division 
consists of two or more brigades of infantry, a brigade 
or regiment of cavalry and from four to eight battalions 
of field artillery, in all about seven or nine thousand 
men. 

A brigadier general commands a brigade. A brigade 
is composed of two to four regiments of infantry, or 
two or more regiments of cavalry, each consisting of 
1,372 men. 

A colonel commands a regiment. The lieutenant- 



THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. 17 

colonel is second in command. A regiment consists 
of three battalions of infantry, each consisting of four 
hundred and fifty men. 

A major commands a battalion. A battalion consists 
of four companies, each composed of one hundred and 
fourteen men. 

A captain commands a company. A company con- 
sists of a captain, two lieutenants, six sergeants, twelve 
corporals, two musicians, one artificer, one wagoner 
and ninety private soldiers. 

THE NAVY DEPARTMENT. 

The Secretary of the Navy is at the head of this de- 
partment. He has charge of all matters pertaining to 
the war vessels of the United States. He is assisted 
by heads of eight bureaus, and all heads of bureaus are 
officers of the navy. Simply naming these bureaus is 
sufficient to give an idea of the work of each, viz. : 
Yards and Docks, Equipment and Recruiting, Naviga- 
tion, Ordinance, Construction and Repairs, Steam En- 
gineering, Provision and Clothing, Medicine and Sur- 
gery. 

The Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, where 
boys are trained to become officers of the navy, is un- 
der the management of this department. 

The name of the present Secretary of the Navy is 



IS OUR STATE AND NATION. 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. 

The Secretary of the Interior has charge of all exec- 
utive business that is not taken care of in other depart- 
ments. It is the home department. 

The subordinate officers at the head of bureaus are : 
Commissioner of Public Lands, Indian Affairs, Pen- 
sions, Patents, Education, Inter-State Commerce, Su- 
perintendents of Public Documents, and Census. 

The name of the present Secretary of the Interior is 



THE POST-OFFICE DEPARTMENT. 

The head of this department is the Postmaster. Gen- 
eral. He has charge of all post-offices and the distribu- 
tion of the mail. 

The name of the present Postmaster General is 



THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 

The head of this department is the Attorney Gen- 
eral. He is the President's lawyer. He represents 
the United States government in every lawsuit in which 
it is interested. If any one violates a law of the United 
States he is arrested and taken into court for trial by 
this department. The arrest is made by a United 



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THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. 19 

States Marshal. These are scattered all over the coun- 
try. The Attorney General is aided by a Solicitor Gen- 
eral, two Assistant Attorneys General, and an. Assist- 
ant Attorney General for the Interior department, one 
for the Post-0 frice department, a solicitor for the 
Treasury, one for Internal Revenue and an Examiner 
of Claims. These must all be lawyers except the 
United States Marshals, who do the work of Sheriffs. 
These need not be lawyers. 

The name of the present Attorney General is ..... . 



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

The head of this department is called the Secretary of 
Agriculture. It is his duty to give all the information 
that he is able to gather about the farming interest 
of the United States. He finds out all he can about in- 
sects that destroy crops, diseases that destroy cattle, 
swine and horses, fertilizers to improve lands ; he does 
all he can to secure good markets for our farmers. This 
information is published in books that can be had free 
from our Senators or Representatives in Congress. 

The Weather Bureau is under his control. Men are 
stationed all over the country who observe the weather 
conditions. The result is sent to all who want it every 
day. It is published in all the great daily papers. This 
is of great value to the farmer and to the shipping in- 
terests. 



20 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

The name of the present Secretary of Agriculture is 



This brief statement is enough to show you how- 
great is the work of the President and to give you 
some idea of how he is able to do it by means of assist- 
ants. 

JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT. 

Thus far we have seen that one set of officials make 
the laws. The President with all his assistants en- 
forces the laws which have been made. At first it wou!d 
seem that this is all that is necessary in government. 
But suppose that under the direction of the Executive 
department a man is arrested and accused of violating 
one of the laws. Would it be fair for the one who 
made the charge to punish the accused? You see this 
might not work well. The accuser may be mistaken. 
The accused may be innocent and can prove it if he be 
given a chance before a judge who knows what the law- 
is and will do right. 

Our plan of government provides that there shall be 
another set of officials who shall hear the accusation 
and the evidence and decide whether or not the accused 
is guilty. If he is not, he must be given his liberty. 
If he is guilty these officials shall say what punishment 
he shall undergo. 

The Judiciary explains what the laws mean, and de- 
cides whether a law 7 which it is claimed has been vio- 



THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. 21 

lated, is in accordance with the Constitution. It may 
be that Congress had no right to make such a law, 
but for some reason it did. The Executive had to en- 
force it whether it was rightfully made or not. It is 
left for the Judiciary to decide whether it was rightfully 
made. If this body finds that the law is unconstitu- 
tional then it is void, as if it had never been passed. In 
this case the one accused of violating it would be given 
his liberty. 

A person may be arrested and accused of violating a 
law. When the case comes before the Judiciary, it may 
decide that the law does not mean what the accuser 
thought it did. and that therefore the accused is inno- 
cent. 

THE UNITED STATES COURTS. 

The Judicial power is vested in the Courts of the 
United States. But you must be careful not to con- 
fuse these courts with the courts at the county seats 
and the state capital. The United States courts try 
cases only that come under the constitution of the 
United States, the laws made by Congress, treaties 
made with other nations, in cases where the United 
States is a partv, crimes committed on the territory 
Oi the United States, and on the high seas where no 
state has a right to control people. 

We will begin with the lowest court and pass to the 
next higher until we come to the highest court of 
all. 



22 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

DISTRICT COURT. 

The lowest United States court is the District court. 
There are seventy-two of them. Illinois is divided into 
two districts. One court meets at Chicago and the 
other at Springfield. The District court is presided 
over by a District Judge. 

If a case is brought before this court and the decision 
is not satisfactory, either party to the case may appeal 
it — that is, take it up to the next higher court. 
THE CIRCUIT COURT. 

The Circuit court is presided over by one of the nine 
Supreme Justices, or one or more of the twenty-three 
Circuit Judges or one of the District Judges in the cir- 
cuit. Illinois is in the Seventh circuit, which is com- 
posed of Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. 

If the case which we have supposed that was brought 
up from the District to the Circuit court is not decided 
satisfactorily, either party may appeal it to the next 
higher court. 

THE CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS. 

These courts are held where they are most needed to 
relieve the Supreme Court of many cases. For many 
cases can be taken no higher. This court is presided 
over by a Judge of equal power with a Circuit Judge. 

Our supposed case is one that is not finally decided 
here. One of the parties appeals it to the next, which 
is the highest of all. 

THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED 
STATES. 

This meets in Washington and is presided o er by 



THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. 23 

lime Supreme Justices, at the head of whom is the 
Chief Justice of the United States. They all hear the 
case at the capital, and it takes a majority of the court 
to render a decision. 

All the United States Judges are appointed by the 
President, with the consent of the Senate. Their term 
is for life. They can be removed only by being con- 
victed of wrongdoing. If a judge has served ten years 
and is sixty years old he may retire and still draw his 
salary as long as he lives. His salary cannot be de- 
creased during his term of office. 

The President is careful to choose the best men for 
these places. He nearly always chooses one out of 
his own political party. But sometimes he chooses 
from the other party. 

The Judges, then, are under obligation to no one; 
they are dependent upon no one ; they need not be 
afraid of anyone. They are so situated that there is 
no reason why they should not decide cases according 
to the law, evidence and their own conscience. 

The judiciary is a noble institution in our govern- 
ment. Here, more than anywhere else, is the strong 
defense of our rights and liberties. The President and 
Congress have many temptations to do wrong and may 
easily err, but the Supreme Court is so far removed 
from temptation and the Judges are so able that here, 
if anywhere on earth, is safety for ourselves and our 
country. 

I hope you now have a clear idea of the machinery 
of government. We will next examine the Srate gov- 
ernment, which comes closer to our every day life. 



CHAPTER III. 



State Government. 



Illinois, like the United States, has a constitution 
adopted by the people of the State that sets forth the 
plan of government, names the principal officials and 
states in a general way what may and may not be done 
by the State and such subordinate governments as it 
may form. It is the supreme law of the State. No 
law may be made that is forbidden by it. The national 
government, as you have learned, has to deal only 
with national affairs, but the state government has 
charge of the affairs between man and man. It has 
to do with the daily life of all. It tries to give every 
man, woman and child his rights. If we had no gov- 
ernment each would have to fight for his own rights. 
The strong would get everything they could, and the 
weak would have to suffer. 

The state government makes laws about the educa- 
tion of the people ; about who shall vote ; about mar- 
riage ; the rights of husband and wife : parent and child ; 
master and servant; principal and agent; partnership: 
debt; insurance; corporations. It makes and executes 
all laws against crime committed in the state. This 
is not all, but enough has been said to show you that 



OUTLINE MAP OF ILLINOIS. 



24A 




STATE GOVERNMENT. 25 

the state government has nearly all to do with our 
conduct toward one another. It does all that govern- 
ment may do except what is given over to the United 
States. 

You readily see the excellence of this plan. The 
people of Florida live in a different climate from those 
of Maine. They have an entirely different way of mak- 
ing a living. The laws of Maine would not suit Florida. 
But this plan allows Maine and Florida each to make 
its own laws. 

The constitution of Illinois provides for three de- 
partments of government: Legislative, Executive and 
Judicial. 

LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT. 

This department is vested in the General Assembly. 
This, like Congress, is divided into two houses, the 
Senate and House of Representatives. The latter is 
called the House for short. The members of both 
houses are elected by the people. 

The General Assembly makes the laws for the state. 
When a member wishes to make a new law he writes 
it out and brings it before the house of which he is a 
member. It is now called a "bill." If a majority of 
the house in which the bill originates votes against it, 
then it is defeated and goes no farther. If that house 
votes for it, or passes it, it is then sent to the other 
house. If a majority votes for it here, it passes. But 
it is not yet a law. It is next sent to the Governor. 
If he approves it, it becomes a law. If he vetoes it. it 



26 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

is sent back to the house where it originated. If two- 
thirds of both houses now vote for it, it becomes a 
law ; if not, it fails. 

The General Assembly also has the power to choose 
two senators of the United States. A senator is chosen 
if a majority of both houses vote for him. If he has 
a majority of one house and not of the other, then 
both houses meet in joint session and cast the vote. 
If a candidate has a majority of the joint meeting, he 
is elected. 

The General Assembly meets in the capilol every 
two years in January after the election in November. 
The elections are held in the even numbered years and 
the Assembly meets in January of the odd numbered 
years, as 1901, 1903. 

THE SENATE. 

The state is divided into fifty-one senatorial districts, 
each containing about the same number of people. 
These districts are numbered from one to fifty-one. 
One senator is elected from each district by the people 
of the district every four years. But to manage it 
so that half of the senators will be elected every two 
years, it has been arranged so that in years when the 
President is elected, senators are elected in the districts 
named by the odd numbers, as one, three, live. etc. 
Two years after the presidential election, senators are 
elected in the even numbered districts. Thus at each 
meeting of the General Assembly at least one-half oi 
the senators have had experience as senators. 



STATE GOVERNMENT. 27 

The Lieutenant Governor is the presiding officer of 
the Senate. He has a vote only when the vote of the 
Senate is a tie. The Senate elects a chairman pro 
tempore, whose duty it is to preside when the Lieuten- 
ant Governor is not present. Our district is No 

and comprises the following counties 



Our senator's name and residence is. 



The Senate helps to make the laws. But besides this 
it has the power to approve or disapprove the appoint- 
ment of men to offices by the Governor not filled by 
election or otherwise. 

THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 

Three members of the House are elected in every 
senatorial district every two years by the people of 
the district. This makes 153 members of the House. 

Illinois has an unusual method of choosing repre- 
sentatives. When a district votes for senator each 
voter can cast one vote for one man. If a Republican 



• 28 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

and a Democrat are voted for, only one can be elected, 
and so the district sends only a Republican or a Demo- 
crat. The method of choosing representatives is called 
"Minority Representation." The purpose is that, even 
the party that is out-voted shall have at least one man 
in the House from every district. 

Each voter may cast three votes. He may cast 
all three for one man, or one apiece for three men, or 
one and one-half jtes for each of two men, or one 
vott Tor one man, and two for mother. 

Suppose there are 8000 Republican and 6000 Demo- 
cratic voters in a district. The Republicans will not 
put up three men, for each would get only 8000 votes, 
while if the Democrats would put up two men each 
would get 9000 votes, and so only one Republican, the 
one who has the highest votes of the three, would be 
elected. But if the Republicans put up two men, each 
would get 12000 votes; and if the Democrats put up 
only one they are sure to elect him. They could put 
up two men and still elect one. If both parties put up 
three men, in this case, the Republicans would elect 
their three men. Each Republican would have 8000 
votes and each Democrat 6000. 

The presiding officer of the House of Representa- 
tives is called the Speaker, and is elected by the House 
from among its members. Other officers are chosen, 
as a clerk, a doorkeeper, postmaster, and engrossing 
clerk, who writes out all bills in good form before they 
go to the Governor for his signature. The Senate 
has about the same kind of officers, but none of these 
are members of either house. 



STATE GOVERNMENT. 23 

HOW BUSINESS IS DONE. 

You readily see that if every bill was considered by 
the whole House, business would be done very slowly. 
Every member would have to take time to study the 
bill, and so it would take a long time to pass even a 
few laws. Very likely every one would depend upon 
somebody else to study the bill, and so no one would 
know anything about it. To avoid this difficulty each 
house is divided into many committees of three to seven 
members. These are named according to the work 
they have to do ; as the Committee on Education, the 
Committee on Finance, the Committee on Railroads. 

If a member presents a bill for a new law about 
schools, another one about taxes, another one about 
railroads, the House gives each of these bills to the 
proper committee. The committee now carefully ex- 
amines the bill and the advisability of passing it. If a 
majority of the committee decides that it shall not pass, 
the bill will not be reported to the house, and so is 
"killed in committee." If the committee see fit they 
can change it so that it will suit them. They then 
report it to the house and move it be adopted. It is 
read three times on three different days before it is 
voted on. 

Bills in which few take an interest are adopted on 
recommendation of the committee. Bills to which 
some one or many object are debated a long time, often 
changed, and may or may not be adopted. This method 
saves time and secures more careful consideration for 
each bill. 



30 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

The names and residences of our Representatives 



are 



EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT. 

The executive department in the government of 
Illinois is not so centralized as it is in that of the United 
States. There one man, the President, is the executive. 
All other executive officers are practically appointed 
by -him, ranking from the postmaster at a crossroads 
to the Secretary of State. 

In Illinois the chief executive officers are Governor, 
Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor of 
Public Accounts, Treasurer, Superintendent of Public 
Instruction and Attorney General. These are elected 
by the people for a term of four years, except the 
Treasurer, who is elected for two years and may not 
be his own successor. All are elected in presidential 



STATE GOVERNMENT. 31 

years except the Treasurer and the Superintendent of 
Public Instruction, who are elected two years after 
the presidential election. The Treasurer is also elected 
in presidential years. Each of these has a particular 
kind of work to do and each appoints the subordinate 
officials under him. Most of those appointed by the 
Governor must be confirmed by the Senate. The 
duties of the minor executive officers, except the At- 
torney General, are chiefly clerical and are prescribed 
by statute. They are responsible to the Governor only 
in the most general way. They make a report to him 
ten days before the meeting of the General Assembly, 
which he transmits to the General Assembly. He may 
at any time call for a written statement of the affairs 
of their offices. When a vacancy occurs in any execu- 
tive office except Lieutenant Governor, he fills it by 
appointment. 

THE GOVERNOR. 

The Governor is the supreme executive and must 
see that the laws of, the State are executed. 

Message. — At the beginning of each session of the 
General Assembly the Governor sends a message, in 
which he gives information about the condition of the 
State. He recommends the enactment of such laws as 
he deems advisable. He presents a complete report 
of the money received and paid out by him according 
to law. He presents his estimate of the amount of 
money that the General Assembly should raise by taxes 
to meet the expenses of the State until the meeting of 
the next General Assembly. 



32 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

Other Powers. — Whenever the Governor thinks the 
interest of the state requires it, he may call the General 
Assembly to meet in extra session. If the two houses 
cannot agree upon a date for adjournment he may 
adjourn them. He can appoint certain officers only 
by consent of the senate, but he may remove them for 
cause and appoint others in their places. If a person 
has been convicted of crime, the Governor may re- 
prieve him, that is, put off the punishment for a time; 
he may commute his sentence, that is, make the pun- 
ishment less severe ; or he may pardon him, that is, set 
him free. This is putting great power into the hands 
of one man, but some one must have it. Courts make 
mistakes sometimes, and some one must have the power 
to save the innocent and to prevent unjust punish- 
ment. 

Veto. — When a bill has been passed by the General 
Assembly it is sent to the Governor. If he signs it, it 
becomes a law. If he does not wish to sign it, he sends 
it back to the house where it started and sends with it 
a statement of his reasons for not signing. If two- 
thirds of the members elected to each house now vote 
for it, it becomes a law without his signature. 

Commander in Chief of the Militia. — The military 
forces of the state are under the control of the Gov- 
ernor. The chief officers of the militia are appointed 
by him; the minor ones are elected by the troops. 
These soldiers live at home and companies are formed 
only in the large cities. They are engaged at their 
regular employment and meet usually of an evening 



STATE GOVERNMENT. 33 

to drill. It is only when they are called out by the 
Governor that they leave home and give all their time 
to military duty. If the state were invaded by a for- 
eign foe the Governor would call out the mLitia and 
repel it. If the laws are being openly violated by so 
large a number of men in one place that the Sheriff 
can not control them, he asks the Governor for assis- 
tance. He may call out a part or a±i the militia and 
send them to restore order. If by these means he is 
not able to put down rebellion or riot he may call on 
the President for troops. When the United States is 
at war the militia may enter its service. Then the 
authority of the Governor over it ceases. 

The salary of the Governor is $6000.00 a year and 
the executive mansion is furnished as a residence. 

The name and residence of the present Governor is 



LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR. 

In case of death, resignation or disability of the 
Governor, the Lieutenant Governor succeeds him in 
office. If the Governor leaves the State for a time the 
Lieutenant Governor performs the duties of the Gov- 
ernor. He is ex officio president of the Senate. He 
is not required to reside at Springfield and may be 
engaged in regular employment at home. His salary 
is $1000.00. 



34 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

The name and residence of the present Lieutenant 
Governor is 



THE SECRETARY OF STATE. 

The Secretary of State takes care of the property 
of the state at the capital. The State House and 
grounds are in his care. The heating, the janitor's 
work and repairs must be supervised by him. The 
supplies, such as blank books, paper, ink, pens to sup- 
ply the other offices and the General Assembly are 
given out by him. All acts, laws, resolutions of the 
General Assembly must be deposited with him. He 
keeps a record of the official acts of the Governor, and 
affixes the great seal of the state to all commissions is- 
sued by the Governor. His salary is $3500.00 a year. 

The name and residence of the present Secretary 

of State is 



THE AUDITOR OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS. 

The Auditor of Public Accounts is the bookkeeper 
for the State. He keeps the accounts of all the busi- 
ness transacted by the State with the United States, 
other States, public officers, corporations and private 
persons. 



STATE GOVERNMENT. 35 

He examines all claims or bills presented for pay- 
ment by the State, and makes sure they are according 
to law. If the Governor or anyone else in the service 
of the State wishes to get his pay he must present his 
bill to the Auditor. If he finds that it is a just claim, 
he writes out an order on the Treasurer, called a 
warrant. He keeps a record of all warrants issued. 

The General Assembly fixes the amount of money to 
be raised by taxation for state purposes. The Auditor 
assists the Governor in figuring out what rate per cent, 
this is on the property of the citizens of the State. His 
salary is $3,500.00 a year. 

The name and residence of the present Auditor is 



THE TREASURER. 
The Treasurer receives and safely keeps all money 
that is paid to the State. But he cannot receive or 
pay out money unless he has an order from the Auditor 
to do so. He keeps an account of all -moneys received 
and paid out and reports to the Auditor every month. 
The Auditor has an account of the same and can readily 
tell whether the Treasurer's accounts are correct. The 
Treasurer handles millions of dollars and might make 
mistakes or might be dishonest. In either case he 
would be found out by the Auditor. He is re- 
quired to give a bond for $500,000.00. That means that 



36 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

he must get good men who are worth more than $500,- 
000.00 to promise to pay any losses to the State that 
may occur through the dishonesty or incompetency of 
the Treasurer. His salary is $3,500.00 a year. 

The name and residence of the present Treasurer is 



THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. 

The Attorney General is the lawyer for the State. 
The other State officials may not be lawyers and so 
often need advice in the performance of their duties. 
They can call on the Attorney General, whose duty it 
is to give them the legal information for which they 
ask. He represents the people of the State in all cases 
in Court in which the State is a party. 

If a State officer is prosecuted for an official act, the 
Attorney General defends him. If an officer has done 
wrong in the management of his office and is brought 
into court, the Attorney General prosecutes him ; that 
is, tries to have him convicted and punished. His salary 
is $3,500.00 a year. 

The name and residence of the present Attorney 
General is 



STATE GOVERNMENT. 17 

THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC 
INSTRUCTION. 

The State Superintendent is at the head of the school 

system of the State. He advises county superinten- 
dents and gives his opinion on any questions of school 
law that they may be in doubt about. If anyone is 
not satisfied with a decision of a county superintendent 
he may appeal to the State Superintendent. 

He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the 
State University and the normal schools and uses his 
influence to promote the efficiency of these. He is to 
use his best efforts to promote the education of the 
children of the state. 

Every two years before the meeting of the General 
Assembly he prepares a complete report of the educa- 
tional interests of the State and makes such suggestions 
as he sees fit to secure better school laws. His salary 
is $3,500.00 a year.^ 

The name and residence of the present superintend- 
ent is 

Besides the duties mentioned under the chief execu- 
tive offices there are many others which are under 
the general supervision of the Governor. They are 
chiefly in connection with the various State institutions 
and State boards that take care of certain public in- 
terests. 



38 ;UR STATE AND NATION. 

STATE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. 

The University of Illinois. — Illinois, like other States, 
gives the children a chance not only for a common 
and high school education, but also provides free in- 
struction in college and university courses. The only 
charge is about twenty-five dollars a year. The uni- 
versity is located at Urbana, Champaign county. Nine 
Trustees are elected by the people, three being chosen 
every two years. The Governor, the President of the 
State Board of Agriculture and the State Superinten- 
dent are ex officio members. 

The university has a large fund, the interest of which 
is used to meet expenses, and what more is needed 
is appropriated by the General Assembly. 

The State Normal University. — To prepare teachers 
for the common and high schools of the State, several 
normal schools have been established. The first one 
founded is at Normal in McLean county. It is man- 
aged by a board of fifteen members appointed by the 
Governor. The State Superintendent is a member ex 
officio. 

The Southern Illinois Normal University. — This 
school is at Carbondale in Jackson county. It is man- 
aged by a board of five trustees appointed by the 
Governor. 

The Northern Illinois State Normal School. — This 
institution is at DeKalb in DeKalb county. It is man- 



STATE GOVERNMENT. 33 

aged by a board of five trustees appointed by the Gov- 
ernor. 

Eastern Illinois State Normal School. — This school 
is located at Charleston, in Coles county. It is con- 
trolled by a board of five trustees appointed by the 
Governor. 

The Western Illinois State Normal School. — This 
institution is located at Macomb, in McDonough coun- 
ty. It is managed by a board of five trustees appointed 
by the Governor. 

The State appropriates the money necessary to main- 
tain the normal schools. Only a small part of the ex- 
pense is paid by the persons who attend. 

Illinois Farmers' Institute. — This institution was 
founded for the purpose of spreading useful informa- 
tion about farming among the people engaged in that 
occupation. It is composed of the State institute and 
county institutes. The county institutes are held in 
each county once a year. Each of these sends three 
delegates to the State institute held at Springfield 
once a year. 

The institute is managed by a board of directors of 
twenty-seven members. 

STATE CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS. 

The State provides for taking care of the aged and 
infirm who cannot support themselves, through the 
county government. There are, however, a large num- 
ber in the State who need something more than food, 
clothing and shelter. They are not numerous enough 



40 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

in a county for it to make special provision for them. 
The State government takes care of them in suitable 
institutions. 

The Hospitals for the Insane. — There are seven of 
these. In these the insane are cared for and, if pos- 
sible, cured. If relatives are able to pay they are re- 
quired to do so. If a patient has no means of support 
and his relatives are not able to pay, he is cared for 
free of charge. Each asylum is controlled by a board 
of three trustees appointed by the Governor. The 
Northern is located at Elgin, in Kane county; the East- 
ern at Kankakee, in Kankakee county; the Central at 
Jacksonville, Morgan county; the Southern at Anna, 
Union county; the Western at Rock Island, Rock Is- 
land county. The Asylum for the Incurable Insane is at 
Bartonville, Peoria county. The Asylum for Insane 
Criminals is at Chester, Randolph county. Peop'e who 
have committed crimes while insane or inmates of the 
penitentiary, who have become insane, are confined 
here. 

Institution for the Deaf and Dumb. — This institution 
is located at Jacksonville, Morgan county. Here these 
unfortunate children are educated. They are taught to 
do useful work. They master the usual school studies 
and learn to talk and to understand other people by 
reading the lips, that is, they learn to know what people 
say by the motion of the lips. 

Institution for the Blind. — This is also located at 
Jacksonville. Here the blind children are taught to 
read and write and do useful work. 



STATE GOVERNMENT. 41 

Asylum for Feeble Minded Children. — This asylum 
is located at Lincoln, Logan county. Many feeble 
minded children, who, if kept at home, would remain 
helpless all their lives, here receive special training 
and many are fitted to earn their own living. 

Eye and Ear Infirmary. — This is located in Chicago. 
People who are too poor to secure treatment for dis- 
eases of the eye and ear are here boarded and treated 
free of charge. 

Soldiers' Orphans' Home. — This is a home for the 
orphans of Union soldiers. They receive the best of 
education. It is located at Normal, McLean county. 

Soldiers' and Sailors' Home. — This is located at 
Quincy, Adams county. Here a home is provided for 
honorably discharged soldiers and sailors of Illinois who 
• cannot be received in any of the national homes. 

Soldiers' Widows' Home. — This is located at Wil- 
mington, Will county. It provides a home for widows 
of soldiers who are unable to support themselves. 

Industrial Home for the Blind. — Here blind people 
older than at Jacksonville are received. They are taught 
trades that they may be self-supporting. It is located 
in Chicago. 

The trustees who manage these institutions receive 
no salary, but their actual expenses are paid. They 
are appointed by the Governor. There is a superin- 
tendent and many other employes who are paid by 
the State.' 



42 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

PENAL AND REFORMATORY INSTITUTIONS. 

These institutions are first to punish those who have 
been convicted of crime, and second to do all that can 
be done to reform them so that they may become law- 
abiding when they are set free. 

State Penitentiaries. — One is located at Joliet, Will 
county; the other is at Chester, Randolph county. 
Some prisoners are sent here for life, some for a long 
term of years and some for a shorter term. They are 
employed at hard labor, are w^U f ed and comfortably 
housed in cells. They are given an opportunity to 
read books and to attend church. A convict may 
shorten his term very much by showing that he is trying 
to become a better man. 

State Reformatory. — This institution is located at 
Pontiae, Livingston county. Boys between the ages 
of ten and sixteen who have been convicted of crimes 
that would send an adult to jail or the penitentiary are 
confined here. Boys between the ages of sixteen and 
twenty-one may be sent here if the court s~ decides. 
The inmates spend a half day in school and the other 
half at work. They need not be kept here for a defi- 
nite term of years. But the managers may set them 
free when they are satisfied that the boys have re- 
formed. They also set them free on parole, that is 
they may retain their liberty so long as they behave 
themselves. If they violate their parole they are 
brought back. Everything is done to make good men 
of these unfortunate boys. 



STATE GOVERNMENT. 43 

Home for Juvenile Offenders. — This is a place for 
girls, much the same as the Reformatory. It is located 
at Geneva, Kane County. The Trustees have the power 
to place in the homes of reputable citizens those who 
have been sent here. 

STATE BOARDS. 

State Board of Health, — This Board grants certifi- 
cates authorizing persons to practice medicine in the 
state. It is also their duty to prevent the introduction 
and spread of contagious diseases. The> have the 
power to quarantine when they deem it necessary. It 
consists of seven members. 

State Board of Equalization. — This Board is com- 
posed of one member from each Congressional District, 
elected by the people. The State Auditor is also a 
member. It meets at the Capitol on the second Tues- 
day in August. It examines the assessment of taxes 
from the different counties and tries to make them as 
nearly equitable as possible, so that one may not be too 
high and another too low. 

State Board of Agriculture. — This Board is composed 
of a member of each Congressional District in the State, 
a president and last ex-president of the board. Dele- 
gates are sent to f^z state fair by the farmers' societies 
of each county or the county board. These delegates 
choose the state board of agriculture. It has charge 
of the state fair and stock shows. 

Canal Commissioners. — This board of three is ap- 
pointed by the governor and they have charge of the 



44 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

Illinois and Michigan canal, between Peru and Chi- 
cago, and the locks, dams and other improvements to 
assist navigation in the Illinois and Little Wabash 
rivers. 

Railway and Warehouse Commission. — This board 
consists of three members, appointed by the governor. 
They attend to the enforcement of the laws controlling 
railways and public warehouses. They see to it that 
due care is taken for the safety of the employes and 
those who travel on the railways. A chief grain inspec- 
tor is also appointed by the governor, who works under 
the direction of this commission. There are also assist- 
ants where they are needed. State weighmasters are 
also appointed and directed by the commission. Thev 
weigh the grain and inspect the scales to protect the 
public against fraud in the handling of grain. 

Commissioners of Public Charities. — This board con- 
sists of five members, appointed by the governor. It is 
their duty to visit and inspect all the State charitable 
institutions and make a report to the governor. They 
are able to bring to light any abuses that may possibly 
occur in these institutions. 

There are numerous other boards and officers ap- 
pointed to look after the interests of the people and 
secure the enforcement of the laws. But enough has 
been said to give an idea how the Executive enforces the 
laws of the state. 

THE JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT. 

The Judicial power of the state government is vested 



STATE GOVERNMENT. 45 

in the courts of the state. In descending order they are: 
the Supreme Court; the Appellate Court; the Circuit 
Courts; the County Courts; Justice Courts, and Police 
Courts. For Cook County, in which Chicago is situ- 
ated, other courts are provided, because the ones men- 
tioned above could not alone take care of the busi- 
ness. 

THE SUPREME COURT. The Supreme Court 
consists of seven Judges, who are elected for a term 
of nine years by the people. The state has been divided 
into seven districts for the election of Supreme Judges. 
They elect one of their own number as Chief Justice. 
A decision has to be sanctioned by at least four judges. 

The court meets at the capitol at Springfield. 

A clerk of the Supreme Court is elected for a term of 
six years. It is his duty to keep all the records of the 
Court. 

If a court has the right to try a case, it is said it has 
jurisdiction in that case. If a case can be begun in a 
court the court is said to have original jurisdiction. If 
it has the right to try a case only when it has been ap- 
pealed from a lower court it is said to have appellate 
jurisdiction. 

The Supreme Court has original jurisdiction in cases 
relating to the revenues of the state, and in cases of 
mandamus and habeas corpus. A case to compel a pub- 
lic officer or public corporation to perform their duty is 
a case of mandamus. 

It is possible that a man may be arrested and impris- 



46 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

oned in an illegal way. The court to try his case may 
not be ready to take it up for six months or a year. 
If there was no relief provided the prisoner would have 
to suffer for so long a time under false and illegal im- 
prisonment. The right of habeas corpus means the 
right for the prisoner to be brought into court at once 
and have it decided whether the imprisonment is legal. 
Take note, that this does not decide whether he is guilty 
or whether he should be punished. It only decides 
whether he is legally imprisoned. 

The Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction in all 
criminal cases and in all civil cases where the amount 
in dispute is one thousand dollars or more. A criminal 
case is a suit brought to punish a person for violating a 
law. A civil case is a suit brought to make a person, 
company or corporation pay for damages they may have 
done or to pay a debt they may owe, or to give up prop- 
erty belonging to the one who brings the su ; \ 

The decisions of the Supreme Court are final except 
in cases where it is claimed the law in question conflicts 
with the laws or constitution of the United States. In 
such cases appeal may be taken from the State Supreme 
Court to the United States Supreme Court. 

Our election district is the th and includes the 

counties of 



STATE GOVERNMENT. 47 

The names of the present Supreme Judges are 



APPELLATE COURT. The state is divided into 
four Appellate Court districts. The Court holds ses- 
sions at Chicago ; Ottawa, LaSalle County ; Springfield ; 
and Mount Vernon, Jefferson County. 

The Appellate Judges are appointed frL„. among the 
Circuit Judges by the Supreme Court. 

A clerk is elected in each district. The Sheriff of the 
county in which the Court is held attends the sessions. 

As the name implies, this court has appellate jurisdic- 
tion only. All cases that can be appealed from the 
lower, circuit courts, are heard by this court except 
criminal cases, cases pertaining to a franchise, to land 
titles or involving the constitutionality of a law. These 
must be appealed to the Supreme Court. 

A franchise is a special privilege given by the state 
to a person or corporation, such as using the streets 
for a street railway. 

The decisions of the Appellate Court are final in all 



48 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

cases where the amount in dispute is less than one thou- 
sand dollars. Other cases may be taken up to the Su- 
preme Court. 

It will be seen that the purpose of these courts is to 
relieve the Supreme Court of all the cases of less im- 
portance. 

CIRCUIT COURTS. The state has been divided 
into eighteen districts called Circuits. Cook County 
forms a Circuit. The other seventeen are made up 
of several counties. The name Circuit Court is given 
because the court passes around a circle from one county 
to another. 

Three Judges are elected in each district every six 
years. The elections for these Judges are not he d at 
the time of other elections, the purpose being to take 
the matter out of party politics as much as possible. It 
often happens that a Judge is elected and re-elected who 
belongs to a political party that is in the minority in 
the district. 

A Circuit Clerk is elected in every county every four 
years. He attends the sessions in his county, keeps the 
records, keeps accounts of the costs and issues ail the 
papers necessary in the work of the court. 

The Sheriff of the county attends the sessions. 

The Circuit Court has original jurisdiction in all 
criminal cases and in civil cases between citizens of the 
state. It has appellate jurisdiction in all cases tried be- 
fore the County, Probate and Justice Courts. 

The Circuit Judges are relieved of much business by 



STATS GOVERNMENT. 48 

the Masters-in-Chancery whom they appoint. Many 
minor matters are referred to them for investigation, 
the results of which they report to the Court. 

If heirs to property are unable to agree on a division 
of the property, the Master-in-Chancery has the power 
to sell it and make the division. 

If a mortgage on a piece of land is not paid and is 
foreclosed, that is, the property is sold to pay the debr, 
the Master-in-Chancery sells it. 

TRIALS BY JURY. 

In the Supreme and Appellate Courts the Judges con- 
duct the trial and decide the case. At least three 
judges are on the bench and hear the case and a major- 
ity renders the decision. 

In the Circuit Court only one Judge conducts the 
hearing of the case. Some cases are also decided by 
him. But in most cases twelve men are brought into 
court to hear the evidence and the pleading of the law- 
yers on both sides and they decide the case. All must 
agree to the verdict. If they disagree, that is, cannot 
come to a unanimous decision, the prosecution fails and 
another hearing must be had unless the case is dropped. 

The twelve men are called the Petit Jury, that is, the 
little jury. 

The Judge in a trial by jury sees to it that the trial 
goes on in the regular way, giving each side a chance 
to give in its proper evidence. When all the evidence 
is in and the lawyers have spoken to the jury, the Judge 
tells the jury what the law is that governs this case. He 



50 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

instructs them how to weigh the evidence. He then 
sends them to a room to prepare their decision. Often 
they are kept there many hours, not being able to de- 
cide. 

During the trial they are closely guarded by the 
Sheriff, that no one may have a chance to bring influ- 
ence to bear on them. 

THE GRAND JURY. 

To be arrested and charged with a crime is a serious 
matter. Anyone i**ight be charged with committing a 
crime even if entirely innocent. Thus his reputation 
would be injured even if afterward it was proven that he 
was innocent. 

To protect people as much as possible from so great a 
wrong, the law provides that twenty-three good men 
shall first investigate the evidence against a man 
charged with crime. They do not investigate the evi- 
dence in his favor. This body of men is called the 
Grand Jury and is appointed by the County Board. 

They meet at the County Seat. The State's Attorney 
presents all the cases of which he has knowledge and 
any juryman may bring before the jury any criminal 
cases that he knows of. They hear all the evidence 
they can get against the one charged with crime. If 
a majority of the jury are convinced that there is evi- 
dence enough to make a case against the accused, they 
name the person, describe his crime and advise the 
Court to bring the accused to trial. Such an action is 
called an indictment. 



STATE GOVERNMENT. 51 

The accused is now given a copy of the indictment 
and a list of the witnesses against him. He is then im- 
prisoned or placed under bond to appear in Court for 
trial. Being placed under bond means that some one 
agrees to pay a fixed sum of money if the accused does 
not appear. Some crimes, as murder, where the penalty 
may be death, are so serious that the temptation to run 
away is so great that the accused is not given the priv- 
ilege of his liberty under bond. 

The meetings of the Grand Jury are not open to any- 
one except jurymen and witnesses when they are called. 

Other courts will be given under the head of county 
and town governments. 



CHAPTER IV. 

County Government. 



The state is divided into one hundred and two coun- 
ties. Some of these are small and others large. 

In Illinois we have two forms of county government. 
Nineteen counties are under what is called County- 
Organization. *They are all in the southern part of the 
state. Eighty-two are under Township Organization. 
A county may adopt Township Organization by vote of 
the people. 

The county government, like that of the state, is 
divided into three departments, Legislative, Executive 
and Judicial. The laws made by the state cover about 
all human relations, leaving the legislative department 
of the county little to do in making laws except in 
purely local matters. The executive officers of the 
county attend to the minor details in the enforcement 
of the laws of the county and state. The county judi- 
ciary attends to minor judicial matters, but they 
such as concern very closely many people. 

LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT. 

The Board of Supervisors. — The legislative depart- 
ment is vested in the County Board of Supervisors. 
One Supervisor is elected from every town every 

*Cook County has a special form of government. 



COUNTY GOVERNMENT. 



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54 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

two years. Half are elected one year and half the 
next. The Board is therefore always composed of 
one-half who have had experience on the Board. The 
Board meets at the county seat, usually four times a 
year. 

The Board organizes at their first meeting after the 
election in April. A chairman is elected and the 
County Clerk acts as clerk of the Board. The chairman 
appoints various committees to take charge of certain 
matters. The usual committees are : The Pauper Com- 
mittee, which gives special attention to the care of the 
poor of the county; the committees to settle with the 
various county officers; a committee on miscellaneous 
claims; road and bridge committees. 

Let us take as an example "The Committee to settle 
with the County Treasurer." The business of this 
committee is to examine the Treasurer's books, audit 
his bills, count the money in his care and to recommend 
to the Board any measures that should be adopted to 
aid that official. 

If these committees do their duty, the affairs of each 
county office will be closely inspected. This method of 
working through committees enables the Board to do 
far more than if all its members had to attend to the 
details of each matter. 

The following are some of the most important pow- 
ers and duties of the Board of Supervisors : 

Their meetings must be open to the public. 

They must publish the proceedings of the Board in 
some county newspaper. 



COUNTY GOVERNMENT. 55 

They must provide and care for public buildings nec- 
essary for the county. 

They must provide the books and stationery neces- 
sary for the county offices. 

They must publish an itemized statement of the re- 
ceipts and expenditures of the preceding year. 

They must prosecute all who are guilty of wrong- 
ing the county; and they must take steps for the de- 
fense of the county if it is sued. 

They must fix the salaries of the county officers and 
pay the same. The salary of a county official cannot 
be changed during his term of office. The salary of 
the County Superintendent of Schools is fixed by state 
law. 

They must levy the taxes necessary to pay the county 
expenses. They may not levy more than 25 cents on 
the hundred dollars. 

They select those who are to serve on the Grand 
Jury. 

Each year the Board prepares a list of at least one- 
tenth of the legal voiers of each town as suitable per- 
sons to serve on Petit Juries. The County Clerk places 
each name on a separate card in a box. Twenty days 
before a trial court convenes the Clerk of the court 
draws from this box enough names to answer the pur- 
pose. The persons whose names are thus drawn must 
serve on the Petit Jury unless they are excused by the 
court. 

The Supervisors are also town officers, but their du- 
ties as such will be given under town government. 



56 OUR STATS AND NATION. 

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.— In counties un- 
der County Organization, a Board of three members, 
called County Commissioners, takes the place of the 
Board of Supervisors. They have about the same pow- 
ers and duties as Supervisors. Those counties are not 
divided into towns. The County Board divides the 
county into precincts for election purposes and into 
districts for the care of the highways. 

The laws that the County Board passes are called 
orders or rules of the Board. They pass rules in regard 
to the transaction of the business in their charge, such 
as how the poor shall be cared for, whether at their 
homes or in the county asylum for the poor. 

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT. 

The Executive Department of the county is vested in 
the following officers: Sheriff, County Clerk, County 
Treasurer, Recorder, County Superintendent of Schools 
and County Surveyor. It is the duty of these to en- 
force the laws of the state and the orders of the County 
Beard which apply to their offices. 

The Sheriff and County Clerk have judicial duties 
when they serve the courts. All county officers are 
elected by the people for a term of four years. The 
Sheriff and the Treasurer may not be their own imme- 
diate successors. 

THE SHERIFF. Our Sheriff is 



COUNTY GOVERNMENT. 57 

His executive duties are to keep the peace of the county. 
If he sees anyone breaking the laws he may arrest them 
without a warrant and bring them before a court for 
trial. He takes care of the Court House and Jail. He 
keeps the prisoners safe, and boards them. If prisoners 
are sentenced to State's Prison or to the Reformatory, 
he removes them to those places. If one is condemned 
to death, he executes him. 

His judicial duties are to attend all the sessions of the 
county and the circuit courts. He obeys the orders 
of the court which pertain to his office. He opens and 
adjourns the court and keeps order when directed to 
do so. Some of the things that he does for the Court 
are: To serve warrants, that is, to arrest a person by 
order of the court ; to serve summons, that is, bring into 
court any one called for by the court to answer to the 
charge made by the one named in the summons; to 
serve subpoenas, that is, to command some one to ap- 
pear in court as a witness ; to serve summons, that is, 
to carry the judgment of the court into effect, such as 
taking or selling property, to pay the debt, of a person 
against whom a suit has been decided. 

The Sheriff is furnished enough assistants, called dep- 
uty sheriffs, to enable him to do the work of his office 
in ordinary times. In case of riots or when he is un- 
able to arrest criminals he may call on any able-bodied 
citizen to assist him. If he is then unable to enforce 
the law he may call on the governor for the Stale Mill- 



58 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

tia. If the governor is not able to restore order he may 
call on the President for troops from the regular army 
of the United States. 

COUNTY CLERK. Our County Clerk is 



His duties are so numerous that we can give only a few 
of the principal ones here. He has the care of a great 
many papers and books; all the records of the Board 
of Supervisors. 

The bonds of most county and town officers. 

Marriage licenses are issued by him and certificates 
of marriages ; records of births and deaths in the county. 
He makes alphabetical indexes of all papers, that they 
may be readily found when wanted. 

When county money is to be paid out the County 
Board orders it to be paid. The County Clerk writes 
out the order on the County Treasurer and keeps a 
record of it. The one who receives the order goes to 
the County Treasurer and gets the money. In this 
way, you see, it requires the work of three different 
parties to pay out public money. This makes dishon- 
esty difficult. The County Clerk has a record of all 
the land and the names of its owners. From the Assess- 
ors he learns how much personal property every one in 
the county has. From the various officials who have 



COUNTY GOVERNMENT. 59 

the power to levy taxes he learns how much money is 
needed. He now computes the rate per cent, of the 
taxation: multiplying the amount of property that one 
has by the rate per cent, gives the amount of tax he has 
to pay. The County Clerk makes a complete record of 
this for each town and gives it to the Tax Collector. 

The County Clerk receives the ballots and election 
returns from the various towns at every general elec- 
tion. He and two Justices of the Peace look these over 
and make the official count and keeps a record of the 
same in his office. If an election is contested the ballots 
are re-counted, and after the lapse of a certain time the 
ballots are destroyed. 

The judicial duties of the County Clerk are to attend 
all sessions of the County Court and keep a complete 
record of all that is done by the court. 

COUNTY TREASURER. Our County Treasurer 



He must receive, safely keep and pay out, as directed 
by law, all public money that comes into his hands. He 
keeps a complete record of all business transacted by 
his office. This is open to inspection by the public and 
is checked up by the County Board twice a year. His 
report to the County Board is filed in the office of the 
County Clerk. 



60 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

The Treasurer is also Supervisor of Assessments. He 
calls a meeting of the assessors, delivers to them the 
books and blanks which they need, and gives them such 
information in their duties as he sees fit. When the 
assessors return their books to him he may make any 
changes that he deems proper, even making a new as- 
sessment. Anyone who thinks he has been assessed 
too high may bring his case before the Supervisor of 
Assessments. 

At the proper time, before the second Monday in 
July of each year, he turns these books over to the 
Board of Review. The Board consists of the Chair- 
man of the Board of Supervisors and two citizens ap- 
pointed by the County Judge. They revise the as- 
sessments as they think proper. Here again a 
citizen may obtain relief if he has been unjustly taxed. 
And anyone knowing that some one else has been as- 
sessed too low may make complaint and have the mat- 
ter investigated. 

The County Treasurer collects the tax on railroads 
and that which has not been collected by the Collect- 
ors, called delinquent. If the tax on real estate is not 
paid in a certain time the Treasurer sells the land for 
taxes. 

RECORDER. Our Recorder is 



COUNTY GOVERNMENT. 61 

His duty is to keep a record of all deeds, mortgages 
and other papers which show title to land. 

These records are of great value. If any of these 
papers are lost by their owners, the Recorder's books 
show what they were. From these records one can find 
the complete history of a piece of land and know 
whether the title to it is perfect or faulty. 

In smaller counties the Circuit Clerk is also recorder 
of deeds. 

SURVEYOR. Our Surveyor is 



His duty is to survey, that is, measure and describe any 
piece of land when he is called upon to do so. He keeps 
a record of it. He is paid by the party who secures 
his services, not by the county. 

COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS. 
Our County Superintendent of Schools is 



His duties are to visit schools and give such advice to 
school teachers and school directors as he thinks will 
make better schools. He examines applicants for cer- 
tificates to teach and grants certificates to those whom 
he deems qualified. He holds an annual institute and 



G2 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

such other meetings as have for their purpose to bet- 
ter prepare the teachers and to benefit the schools. 

He examines the books and accounts of the Town- 
ship Treasurers, makes suggestions as to keeping the 
books, and reports any irregularities to the Township 
Trustees. He inspects and approves the bonds of 
Treasurers and safely keeps the bonds. 

He distributes the money received from the state 
for school purposes to the several townships accord- 
ing to the number of persons in the township under 
twenty-one years of age. 

From the records of his office and from the reports 
from the Trustees he makes annually a report to the 
State Superintendent of Public Instruction. 

The County Institute is paid for by those who apply 
for teacher's certificates. The Superintendent collects 
$1.00 from each applicant. 

He receives for compensation four dollars a day for 
every day he works and two per cent, of the money 
which he distributes. He is required to give a bond for 
$12,000.00 or more. 

JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT. 

The County Judiciary is composed of the County 
Judge, Probate Judge, State's Attorney, Coroner and 
Probate Clerk. They are elected by the people for a 
term of four years. 

COUNTY'COURT. Our County Judge is 



COUNTY GOVERNMENT. 63 

His court has exclusive jurisdiction in all suits to sell 
real estate for taxes. It has jurisdiction also in all civil 
cases in which the amount in dispute is not more than 
one thousand dollars. In criminal cases it has juris- 
diction in only such cases in which the punishment is 
not imprisonment in the penitentiary or death. 

THE PROBATE COURT. Our Probate Judge is 



All matters pertaining to the settlement of estates of 
people who have died come before this court. If the de- 
ceased has left a will the Probate Judge sees to it that 
the provisions of the law are complied with. If anyone 
contests the will, that is, tries not to have it go into ef- 
fect, he begins suit in this Court. If there are heirs to 
an estate under twenty-one years of age, the Judge ap- 
points a Guardian. A guardian's duty is to manage the 
property for the minors, and he -must give a strict ac- 
count of his trust to the Probate Judge. In the case 
of insane people having property, the Judge appoints a 
Conservator to manage the property. 

In small counties the County Judge attends to pro- 
bate business and no Probate Judge is elected. 

PROBATE CLERK. Our Probate Clerk is 



64 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

This official is elected only in counties that elect a Pro- 
bate Judge. His duty is to keep the papers, books and 
records of the Probate Court. When a county has no 
such court the County Clerk attends to these duties. 

STATE'S ATTORNEY. Our State's Attorney is 



It is his duty to have all offenders against the criminal 
laws indicted, arrested and brought into court for trial. 
He prosecutes them, that is, tries to have them con- 
victed and punished. If a citizen's property has been 
stolen, he informs the State's Attorney, who secures the 
criminal's arrest, indictment and conviction without 
cost to the one who complains. 

If the county is sued or if it sues a party the State's 
iVttorney is the lawyer for the county. 

He also is the leg*al adviser of all the county officers 
and Justices of the Peace in their official duties. If 
they need advice as to what the law is governing their 
official actions they go to the State's Attorney. 

CORONER. Our Coroner is 



CO [TXT Y GOVERNMENT. 65 

If any one has died in an unknown way, the Coroner 
calls a jury and examines witnesses and tries to find out 
the cause of death. If it is found that it was a case of 
murder he arrests the criminal if possible. 

If it is found that death came from an accident the 
Coroner tries to fix the blame. Damages can then be 
secured in the proper court. 

If the Sheriff's office becomes vacant, or the Sheriff 
is personally interested in a suit, the Coroner acts as 
Sheriff. 



CHAPTER V. 

Town Government. 



A town is a division of a county for purposes of gov- 
ernment. In every day language the word town is 
used to mean a village or a city. It will not do to call 
this township government, for the township is a di- 
vision for the purpose of dividing and describing land, 
and in Illinois the township is a unit for school purposes. 
The town often coincides with the township ; but some- 
times the town boundaries are determined by rivers 
and mountains. The purpose is to make it possible for 
all the people of the town to be able to easily meet to 
take part in the town government. 

In all the governments which we have studied thus 
far the people have not administered the government 
themselves. They have done so indirectly by electing 
officials to do so for them. In the town we find the 
people meeting and passing the laws, one voter having 
just as much power as another in making the laws. 

LEGISLATIVE DEPARTM ENT. 

The voters themselves are the legislators. They 
meet on the first Tuesday oi April. At eight or nine 
o'clock they elect a Moderator, the Town Clerk calling 
the meeting to order. 

66 



TOWN GOVERNMENT. 67 

The Moderator is the presiding officer, and he, the 
Supervisor and Assessor are the Judges of Election. 

THE ELECTION. The election of officers is the 
first business attended to. The Town Clerk provides 
a box which is shown to be empty. It is then locked. 
A hole in the lid admits the ballots. The clerks of elec- 
tion have a list of all the voters. When a voter pre- 
sents himself they see whether his name is on the 
register. If it is, one of the judges gives him a ballot, 
writing the initials of his own name upon it to show 
that it was given out by a judge. The voter now goes 
into an enclosure called a booth and out of view of 
everyone. He marks his ballot in such a way as to 
show what candidates he votes for. He now hands 
it to a judge who calls out the name of the voter. If 
no one objects he drops it into the ballot box. The 
voter passes out and cannot again enter the enclosed 
space. If anyone objects to a certain person voting, 
that is, challenges the vote, the judges consider the 
case whether they will allow the person to vote. They 
may put the voter under oath and if he votes illegally 
he may be punished not only for that, but he may be 
sent to- the penitentiary for perjury or false swearing. 

The ballot is a paper on which are printed the names 
of all candidates and the offices which they are seek- 
ing. 

When the polls are closed, that is, when the privilege 
of voting is ended, the ballot box is opened and the 
votes counted. The judges decide how each vote shall 
be counted and the clerks keep a true account. 



68 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

When all are counted the Town Clerk announces the 
result. 

THE TOWN MEETING. At two o'clock of elec- 
tion day the polls are closed for a time and all the 
voters meet in a certain place. The Moderator pre- 
sides and the Town Clerk keeps the records. The min- 
utes of the previous meetings are read and then mis- 
cellaneous business is taken up. It takes a majority of 
the voters present to decide, and the vote is taken in 
the usual way, those favoring" a motion saying "aye" 
and those opposing saying "no." 

Some of the business usually done at the town meet- 
ing is : To decide how much money shall be raised by 
taxts for town purposes, such as constructing and re- 
pairing roads and bridges and for carrying on any law- 
suits to which the town is a party; to instruct the offi- 
cers what to do in case of lawsuits; to offer rewards 
for the destruction of harmful weeds; to make rules as 
to fences and trees along the public highways; to regu- 
late the running at large of stock ; to provide for public 
wells; to provide measures to promote the healthful- 
ness of the town ; to decide whether the road tax shall 
be paid in labor or money. 

Before the meeting closes the reports of all officer.^ 
are received and acted upon. 

VOTERS. All men twenty-one or more years old 
who are citizens of the United States and who have 
resided in the state at least one year, in the county 
ninety days and in the town thirty days have the right 
to vote. 



TOWN GOVERNMENT. 69 

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT. 

The executive officers of the town are Supervisor, 
Clerk, Assessor, Collector, Highway Commissioners. 
These are elected at the annual town meeting for a 
term of one year, except the Supervisor who serves 
two years, and the Highway Commissioners who serve 
three years. 

SUPERVISOR. Our Supervisor is 



His duties are : 

i. To receive and pay out all moneys for the ex- 
penses of the town excepting that for highways. 

2. To prosecute all lawsuits for the town. 

3. To keep a strict account of all money received 
and paid out. 

4. To furnish proper relief to all paupers at the ex- 
pense of the county. 

5. To make a statement to the Town Clerk before 
the town meeting of what is due the town and what 
it owes. 

6. To represent his town as a member of the Board 
of Supervisors. In towns having four thousand inhabit- 
ants an Assistant Supervisor is elected for every twen- 
ty-five hundred additional inhabitants. They have no 
duties other than to serve on the town boards of health 
and to take full part in the meetings of the County 



70 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

Board. Our Assistant Supervisors are . 



TOWN CLERK. Our Town Clerk is 



He has the care of all the books and papers of the town. 
He keeps in a book a record of all that is done at the 
town meeting. In this he also records all orders and 
rules made by the voters at the town meeting. He 
must deliver to the Supervisor a certificate showing 
for what purpose the town meeting has voted money 
to be raised. He must also certify to the County Clerk 
the amount of town taxes the town meeting has voted 
to raise. 

ASSESSOR. Our Assessor is 



The Assessor receives from the County Treasurer a 
book prepared by the County Clerk which contains a 
list of all the lands and their owners in the town, and 
a blank book in which he is to record the names of all 
the people of his town that have personal property. 



TOWN GOVERNMENT. 71 

He travels over his town and places a value on all the 
lands and on the personal property, each in a separate 
book. He delivers these books to the County Treas- 
urer. 

THE COLLECTOR. Our Collector is 



He obtains the tax books for his town from the County 
Clerk. He then collects the taxes and pays the money 
to the officers who may receive it. If he pays the money 
to any officer he takes his receipt and this answers the 
same as the money when he settles with the County 
Treasurer. If taxes on personal property are not paid 
he may sell the property to pay taxes. What he fails 
to collect on real estate is returned delinquent and is 
collected by the County Treasurer. 

HIGHWAY COMMISSIONERS. Our Highway 

Commissioners are 



They serve three years, but one is elected annually. 
Ten days after the election they meet and elect one of 
their members treasurer. He receives and pays out all 
money under their control. He pays it out on orders 
signed by at least two of the Commissioners. The 



72 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

Town Clerk is the clerk of the Board and keeps a rec- 
ord of its meetings and acts. They may establish new- 
roads, vacate old ones, repair roads and bridges and 
build new ones. If road tax is paid by labor they di- 
vide v the town into districts and appoint an overseer of 
highways and direct him how the work is to be done. 
They may purchase all the tools they need. They are 
also commissioners of drainage and may take charge 
of the drainage to be done by the public. They may 
put up guide boards at crossroads, and keep weeds 
from going to seed on the highway. They may provide 
public wells and watering troughs at suitable places. 
They levy the tax necessary for road purposes, but in 
this they are under the direction of the town meet- 
ing. 

There are a number of boards that carry into effect 
the orders and rules of the town meeting. 

THE BOARD OF APPOINTMENTS. The Su- 
pervisor, Justices of the Peace and the Town Clerk 
may appoint some one to fill a vacancy in any town 
office. These also constitute the Board of Town Au- 
ditors. They meet twice a year and examine, approve 
or disapprove the accounts of town officers, except the 
pay of the Supervisor for attending the meetings of the 
County Board. In this way due care is taken that the 
town money is properly handled. They may appoint 
a Commissioner of Canada Thistles, whose duty it is 
to destrov all Canada thistles in the town. 



TOWN GOVERNMENT. 73 

The Board of Health consists of the Supervisor, As- 
sessor and Town Clerk. Its duty is to enforce all regu- 
lations to prevent the spread of contagious diseases in 
the town. 

THE TOWN BOARD OF EQUALIZATION. The 

Assessor, Town Clerk and Supervisor constitute a board 
to review the assessment of the town. They must 
meet the fourth Monday in June. Anyone believing 
himself unjustly assessed may appear before the board 
and have his case investigated. If the Assessor has 
made a mistake in the assessment of property the board 
corrects it. 

JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT. 

The judicial officers of the town are the Justices of 
the Peace and the Constables. There are two of these 
in every town and may be more if the town has three 
thousand inhabitants. They are elected for a term of 
four years. 

JUSTICE COURT. Our Justices of the Peace are 



In civil suits this court has jurisdiction in all cases where 
the amount in dispute is not more than two hundred 
dollars. 

A misdemeanor is an offense which is not punishable 



74 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

with imprisonment in the penitentiary, or death. A 
felony is an offense punishable with death or imprison- 
ment in the penitentiary. An assault is an attempt of 
one person who is able to do so, to do injury to the 
person of another. Assault and battery is the unlaw- 
ful beating of a person. 

The Justice Court has original jurisdiction in all 
cases of misdemeanor punishable by fine only and the 
fine does not exceed two hundred dollars. Also in all 
cases of assault and assault and battery. 

When a person is accused of a felony he may be ar- 
rested and brought before a Justice of the Peace 
who conducts a preliminary examination. If the jury 
believe the prisoner guilty he is sent to jail to await 
the action of the Grand Jury. He may, however, es- 
cape imprisonment by securing bail. That means he 
must get a number of good men to agree to pay a large 
sum of money if the prisoner does not appear in court 
for trial on a certain day. 

THE CONSTABLE. Our Constables are 



His duties are to do for the town what the Sheriff does 
for the county. He may arrest without a warrant from 
a court any person whom he finds disturbing the peace 
or committing crime. He must carry out the orders 
of the Tustice Court. 



TOWN GOVERNMENT. 75 

CITY AND VILLAGE GOVERNMENT. 

The city government is formed after the same plan 
as the other governments. Before a city can be, the 
people must incorporate, that is, get a charter from the 
state. A charter is an instrument which sets forth in 
writing what powers, rights and privileges the city 
may have. It is to the city what the constitution is 
to the state and nation. 

LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT. 

The lawmaking power is vested in the Mayor and 
City Council. The city is divided into parts called wards, 
each containing about the same number of inhabitants. 
Each ward elects two aldermen, one each year for a 
term of two years. 

The Council meets at regular times and passes the 
laws for the government of the city. The Mayor is 
chairman and has a vote in case of a tie. City laws 
are called ordinances and they regulate the public life 
of the people in the city. 

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT. 

The chief executive officer is the Mayor. He is 
elected for a term of two years. It is his duty to en- 
force the ordinances and the laws of the state in his 
city. With the consent of the Council he appoints the 
^city officers not elected by the people. 

CITY CLERK. The City Clerk attends the meet- 
ings of the Council, keeps a record of the proceedings 
in a book for that purpose and he records all the ordi- 



76 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

nances of the city. He is elected for a term of two 
years. 

CITY TREASURER. The Treasurer safely keeps 
the money and pays it out as ordered by the Council. 

ASSESSOR AND COLLECTOR. The city prop- 
erty is usually assessed and the tax collected by the 
Town Assessor and Collector, but sometimes the city 
elects special officers to do this work. 

JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT. 

The city judicial officers are the Police Magistrates, 
City Attorney, Marshal and Policemen. 

POLICE COURTS. The Police Magistrate has 
jurisdiction in all cases coming under the city ordi- 
nances and in the same cases as a Justice of the Peace. 
Justices of the Peace may also try cases under city 
ordinances. 

CITY ATTORNEY. This officer prosecutes of- 
fenders against the city ordinances, gives legal advice to 
the City Council and city officials and defends the city 
in lawsuits brought against the city. 

MARSHAL. The City Marshal does for the city 
what the Sheriff does for the county. He keeps the 
peace and serves the writs of the court. 

POLICEMEN. The policemen are assistants of the 
City Marshal. The Marshal and policemen are ap- 
pointed by the Mayor and Council. 



TOWN GOVERNMENT. 77 

VILLAGE GOVERNMENT. 

A smaller number of people may incorporate as 
a village. Such a charter does not provide for so elab- 
orate a government. The people are few and they need 
little more than is given by the town and county gov- 
ernments. Instead of Aldermen the village has six 
Trustees; instead of a Mayor, a President of the Board 
of Trustees. A Village Clerk is elected, but such offi- 
cers as Treasurer, Street Commissioner, and Constable 
are appointed. 



CHAPTER VI. 

The Township. 



A law of the state provides that every township in 
the state shall be a division for school purposes. A 
township is a territory six miles long and six miles 
wide, and this is divided by lines a mile apart run- 
ning north and south and east and west. This makes 
thirty-six squares each a mile long and mile wide. These 
squares are called sections. There should be a road 
along every section line, and a school house should be 
at the crossing of the roads at the center of four sec- 
tions of land. But often streams and roads make it 
more convenient to have the school houses located dif- 
ferently. County lines make no difference. A school 
township may be in several counties. 

BOARD OF TRUSTEES. Each township elects 
a board of three trustees for a term of three years, one 
each year. Their duties are: i. To divide the town- 
ship into school districts, and when they have been 
thus divided they may change the district lines in the 
manner prescribed by law. 2. To take care of the 
school fund belonging to the township, keep it loaned 
out and every year distribute the interest and the money 
received from the state to each of the districts. Thev 



THE TOWNSHIP. 79 

find out from each district how many people there are 
under twenty-one years of age. Then they give each 
district the same for each of these persons. 

TOWNSHIP TREASURER. The board of trus- 
tees appoints some one to take charge of the school 
money of the township. This includes not only the 
permanent fund, the interest and state money, but also 
the money of the different districts. The Treasurer 
gives a bond for a sum twice as great as all the money 
that is likely to come into his keeping. If he loses any 
of this money he, the trustees or the bondsmen must 
replace it. 

When a school district wishes to pay its teacher, the 
board of directors draws an order on the Township 
Treasurer and gives it to the teacher. She can now 
get her pay by handing the order to the Treasurer. 
You see the Treasurer handles all the school money of 
his township. 

THE SCHOOL FUND. You will want to know 
where the money comes from that keeps our schools 
going. It costs about twenty dollars a year for every 
child that attends school. 

When the United States formed the state of Illinois 
it provided that in every township, section 16 shall be 
school land. When it shall be sold, the money shall 
be put on interest and only the interest used to pay 
the expenses of the schools. It is too bad that most 
of this land was sold for two dollars and a half an acre, 
and a township has only about $2,000.00. The town- 



80 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

ships that did not sell the land have now about $50,- 
000.00, and this helps very much in the education of 
the children. This is the Township School Fund. 

When Andrew Jackson was President, the United 
States had more money in the Treasury than it needed. 
This was paid back to the states. Illinois gave its share 
to the schools. This is kept on interest and the interest 
is distributed through the County Superintendent and 
the Board of Trustees to the districts. The state gov- 
ernment also gives the schools about $1,000,000.00 a 
year, which is distributed in the same way. All that is 
thus distributed does not do more than to pay the 
County Superintendent's salary and give each child in 
school about two dollars. Where do the other eighteen 
dollars come from? The people of the districts tax 
themselves to raise it. Everybody in a country school 
district who has property has to pay about 40 cents 
school tax for every hundred dollars, or about $4.00 for 
every thousand dollars. 

THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. 

If the school houses are placed as was intended there 
" are nine in every township, and they are known by 
number. 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS. The school districts 
in which there are less than one thousand people elect 
a board of directors for a term of three years, one di- 
rector each year. The board meets and elects one of 
its members President and one Clerk. Its duties arc 



SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SECTION MAP. 

TOWN^HIP_22JC^ JIANGE 2 E- 3d P. M. 




THE TOWNSHIP. 81 

to take full control of the school. It levies the tax nec- 
essary to carry on the school. It employs the teacher, 
it adopts the text-books to be used, it makes the course 
of study, it makes the rules for the government of the 
school, it admits pupils from other districts, it expels 
pupils when necessary. In fact, the board has the 
entire management of the school except the methods of 
teaching, which are under the control of the teacher 
and County Superintendent. 

THE TEACHER. The teacher must have a certifi- 
cate from the County Superintendent certifying that 
the holder is of good moral character and is qualified to 
teach the school subjects. No woman under seventeen 
years of age, or man under eighteen years can secure 
a certificate. The teacher during school hours takes 
the place of the parents, having the same control over 
the children, and should take the same interest in their 
welfare. The teacher has two main purposes in his 
work. First he tries to have every child master the 
school subjects, as reading, spelling, writing, arithme- 
tic, grammar, geography. United States history and 
physiology and the laws of health. Second, he tries to 
train the child to right ideas about living and right 
habits of work and behavior. The whole aim of the 
teacher and the school is to bring up every child to be 
a good man or woman. A good man or woman is one 
who lives right, and can and will do useful work. The 
better he behaves himself and the more useful work he 
does, the better man is he. 



82 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

THE PUPIL. The pupil is first of all in the school 
system. For him the school exists. If there were no 
pupils there would be no school. The teacher, the 
directors, the trustees, the County Superintendent, the 
State Superintendent, are all secondary to the pupil. 
They exist for him. The pupil exists for the man he 
is to be. So the man or woman that the child is to 
be is what all exist for. 

The duties of the pupils are: I. To look upon the 
teacher as taking the place of the parent. He should 
believe that the teacher means to do what is best for 
him. If he requires any work of him it is for his good. 
If he wants certain conduct it is for his good, and even 
if the teacher punishes him it is as the punishment of 
the parent. The pupil should behave as the teacher 
expects him to do. He should do the work the teacher 
asks him to do. Only in this way can he become a ca- 
pable and good man. 

BOARDS OF EDUCATION. In districts where 
there are a thousand or more people, the people elect 
a Board of Education of five or more members. Their 
duties are the same as those of Boards of Directors. 

Their schools are graded schools, that is, there are 
several rooms, and the younger children are put to- 
gether in one room, the older in another. One teacher 
has charge of a room and also helps the other teachers 
in his building. He is called the Principal. 

One teacher has charge of all the buildings. 1 1 e is 
called the Superintendent. He instructs all the teach- 
ers in their work and sees that it is well done. 



THE TOWNSHIP. 83 

HIGH SCHOOLS. There are two kinds of High 
Schools, District High Schools and Township High 
Schools. A High School is one in which higher studies 
are taught than in the common schools. Only the 
pupils in the district may attend a District High School. 
A Township High School is for all the pupils in a town- 
ship who are ready to do high school work. 

STATE UNIVERSITY. The State University is 
a still higher school. It is located at Urbana. Pupils 
who have completed the work of the best high schools 
may enter. In this way the state gives every boy or 
girl a chance for the best education. 

COUNTY AND STATE SUPERINTENDENT. 

The duties of these school officers are given under 
county and state government. 



CHAPTER VII. 

United States Land Survey. 



When the land west from Pennsylvania to the Mis- 
sissippi River was obtained, a system of surveying and 
describing land was devised. 

PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN. A north and south line 
was fixed at some well known point. This was called 
the First principal meridian. Farther west another was 
established called the Second principal meridian. At 
the mouth of the Ohio River another called the Third 
principal meridian was fixed. All the land in Illinois 
east of this and all west of this line and south and east 
of the Illinois River from the point where the river 
meets the Third principal meridian, is surveyed and 
described by this meridian, except as shown in Fig. 6. 

At Beardstown another meridian is established called 
the Fourth principal meridian. All the land in Illinois 
north and west of the Illinois east to the Third prin- 
cipal meridian is surveyed and described by the Fourth 
principal meridian. 

BASE LINE. At a convenient point a line east 
and west is established. This is called the Base Lino. 
By these two lines we can describe land. Find the land 
east of the Third principal meridian and north of I 

8-1 



UNITED STATES LAND SURVEY. 



Line. Find that east of Third principal meridian and 
south of Base Line ; that west of Third principal merid- 
ian and north of Base Line : that west of Third princi- 
pal meridian and south of base line. See Fig. 6. 

TOWNSHIP LINES. Six miles east of the Third 

principal meridian on the base line, a line is established 




Fig. 2b. 

parallel with the principal meridian and another six 
miles east of that. The same is done toward the west. 
Six miles apart and parallel with the base line north 
and south are similar lines. These are called township 
lines. 



86 



OUR STATE AND NATION. 



TOWNSHIPS. The township lines divide the land 
into pieces six miles square and containing thirty-six 
square miles. These are called townships. The town- 
ships are numbered to the north and south and we must 
state whether they are east or west of the principal 





LOT 1. 




i 


.OT 2. 




6 


5 


4 


3 


2 


1 


7 


8 


9 


10 


11 


12 


13 


17 


16 


15 


14 


13 


19 


20 


21 


22 


23 


24 


30 


29 


28 


27 


26 


25 


31 


32 


33 


34 


35 


36 



Fig. 3. 

3d principal meridian ; township 3 north, and east of 
the 3d principal meridian. In this way you can name 
and find any township that is in the first row. This 
meridian. Find township 1 north, and east oi the 3d 



UNITED STATES LAND SURVEY 



87 



principal meridian; township I south, and east of the 
row is called Range i. The next is Range 2. You see 
there are ranges east and also west of the 3d principal 
meridian. Now we can find any township we wish. 
Find township 36 north, range 5 east of the 3d princi- 
pal meridian. It is the northeast township of LaSalle 



.n.w.m 

160 Acres 



20 Acres 

S.ViOfS.W.y A of 

S.W. M 



N.E. & of 

S.W. hi 
40 Acres 



N.W.M of 
N.E.U 



N.E. H. of 

N.E.% 



S.YtofN.E. % 
80 Acres 



EM of 
EM of r 
>.EM ) 



S.W. H of 
S.E. k 
40 Acres 



I 



10 
Acres 




Fig. 4. 

County. Find township 3 south, range 3 west of the 
3d principal meridian. 

CORRECTION LINES. In surveying the sur- 
veyor runs his lines north, that is, toward a point on 
the earth called the North Pole. If he runs a line 
straight north and then six miles east of that another. 



OUR STATE AND NATION 




Fi« 8. 



UNITED STATES LAND SURVEY. 89 

you see that while the first township would be nearly 
six miles square, the next one north would not. and 
straight north, they will come together at the North 
Pole. They come closer together all the time. 
Number ioo north would be far from six miles square. 
To avoid this, and keep the township six miles square. 
lines are established parallel to the base line and there 
a new start is made. See correction line for 4th princi- 
pal meridian. If roads are to be section lines there will 
be quite a jog in those running north and south at the 
correction line. 

SECTIONS. One mile west of the east line of a 
township a line is run north parallel with it. One mile 
north of the south line of a township a line is run west 
parallel with it. Others are run north and west in the 
same way. This divides the township into 36 pieces of 
land each a mile square called sections. If the town- 
ship is not perfect, that is, not exactly six miles square, 
the sections to the north and west will not be perfect 
sections. They may be too small or too large. These 
are called fractional sections. 

The sections are numbered beginning with the one 
in the northeast corner of the township. Toward the 
west there are then 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. The section south 
of No. 6 is 7 and so eastward we have 8, 9, 10, 11. 12. 
Now we are able to so describe any square mile in the 
state that it can be readily located. Find section 1. 
township 36 north, range 5 east of the 3d principal 
meridian. It is the section in the northeast corner of 
LaSalle County. Find section 31, township 29 north, 
range 2 east of the 3d principal meridian. It is the 



SO OUR STATE AND NATION. 

section in the southwestern corner in the most south- 
ern township in LaSalle County. 

DIVISIONS OF A SECTION. To divide a section 
so that it will make farms of convenient size, it may be 
divided into the east and west halves or the north and 
south halves. These would contain 320 acres, more or 
less. Find the N. 1-2 of section 1, township 36 north, 
range 5 east of the 3d principal meridian. 

These half sections may be divided into halves and 
these will contain 160 acres. The north or south half 
sections would then be divided into east and west halves 
or quarter sections. The east and west half sections 
would be divided into north and south halves. 

Find the east 1-2 of the north 1-2 of section 4. (See 
Fig. 4.) The same piece of land could be described 
as the northeast 1-4 of section 4. 

The half of a quarter section contains 80 acres. Find 
the west 1-2 of the southwest quarter of section 4. Find 
the west 1-2 of the south 1-2 of the southwest 1-4 of 
section 4. This contains 40 acres. This can again be 
divided into halves containing 20 acres. 

Thus you see the smallest piece of land may be defin- 
itely described. 

If the land is not divided as above stated, it is named 
by lots. Suppose a section is fractional, and contains 
more than four quarters. Suppose this is a strip of 
land a mile long and a quarter of a mile wide to the 
north of the section. This would be described as lot 
1 and 2 according to the lines fixed by the surveyor. 
See Fig. 3. 



UNITED STATES LAND SURVEY. PI 

Our School District is No , Twp , Range 

. . . . , .... principal meridian. 

Our school house is located on the .... 1-4 of sec- 
tion . . . . , Twp , Range . . . . , .... principal me- 
ridian. 

The farms in our chool district are the following: 



Topics for Study and Review." 



GOVERNMENT. 



What it is? . . . 5 

Republic and Absolute Monarchy. . . 5 

Kinds under which we live 6 

National 6 

State 7 

County 7 

Town 6 

City or village 6 

School district 6-7 

What does each of the above do? 
How does each differ from the other? 
Constitution of the United States. . . 9 

What is it? 9 

When adopted? 

By whom adopted ? 

Adopted, what for? (See History 
of the United States) 

NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. 10 



Text U. S. Const' n 
Page. Art. Sec. Par. 



Departments 

Why have these divisions? Why 
not have one set of men to do all 
the governing? 10 

* Sixth grade pupils are expected to mas- 
ter the text only. Seventh and eighth 
grade pupils should study the Constitution 
of the United States also. 



TOPICS FOR STUDY AND REVIEW. 



93 



Text U 
Page. Ar 

Legislative Department 9 

Congress 

House of Representatives .... 9 

How composed? 

Eligibility . 

Number of members ...... 

How apportioned (amend't) ? . . 

Enumeration 

When elected? 

By whom elected ? 

How vacancies are filled 

Powers of the House 

Exclusive legislation 

Impeachment* 

Elective 

House officers 

President of U. S. . . (12th 

Senate . . . 10 

How composed ? 

Eligibility 

Term and by whom chosen. . . 

When chosen 

How classed** 

How vacancies filled 

Presiding officer 

Vice-President 

President pro tempore.. .. 
Chief Justice 

*(The House has the right to accuse the 
President or other U. S. officials of wrong- 
doing. The Senate hears the case and de- 
cides it.) 

**(This plan makes a change of only one- 
third of the members every two years.) 



S. Const'n 
Sec. Par. 

I I 



2 

2-4 

2 
2 



I 
I 

4 



2 , 5 
amend't) 



94 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

Text U. S. Const 1 n 
Page. Art. Sec. Par. 

Senate powers 

Executive 2 2 2 

Elective 

Senate officers 1 3 5 

Vice-President U. S. .(12th amendment). 

Judicial 1 3 6 

Provisions relating to both 

houses 

Membership 1 5 1 

Ineligibility to offices cre- 
ated or the salary of 
which has been in- 
creased during service. .. 1 62 

Business quorum 1 5 1 

Rules and punishment 1 5 2 

Yeas and nays 1 5 3 

Adjournment 1 5 4 

Official oath 6 . . 3 

Salaries (each receives 

$5,000 per annum) 1 6 1 

Official privileges 1 6 1 

From arrest 

Of debate 

Powers of Congress 

Finances 

Secure money by 

Taxes, duties, imposts, 

excises 1 8 1 

Borrowing money 1 8 2 

Selling land 4 3 

Selling other property. . . 4 3 2 

Pay out money for 

United States debts 1 8 1 



TOPICS FOR STUDY AND REVIEW. 95 

Text U. S. Const'n 
Page. Art. Sec. Par. 

Common defense i 8 i 

General welfare i 8 i 

Regulate commerce i 8 3 

Foreign nations 

Among the States 

With Indian Tribes 

Coin money, fix the value of 
coin and the standard of 
weights and measures 1 8 5 

Establish uniform natural- 
ization and bankruptcy 
laws . . . 1 8 4 

Penalties 

Counterfeiting 1 8 6 

Crimes on the high seas. .. 1 8 10 
Offenses against the law 

of nations 1 8 10 

Treason 3 3 1-2 

Postal 1 8 7 

Patents and copyrights 1 8 8 

War 

Declaration 1 8 11 

Armies* 1 8 12 

Navy 1 8 13 

Rules 1 8 14 

Militia 

General control 1 8 16 

Calling out 1 8 15 

Judiciary 

Inferior courts 1 8 9 

Place of trials 3 2 3 

Restrictions 3 2 2 

Territory 



96 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

Text U. S. Const - n 
Page, Art. Sec. Par. 

Control and sell 4 3 2 

Seat of government 1 8 17 

Public works 1 8 17 

New States 4 3 1 

States 

Elections 

Members of Congress ... 1 4 1 
Presidential electors 2 1 4 

State records 

Method of proving 4 1 1 

Effect of proof 4 1 1 

Imposts 1 10 2 

Executive vacancy* 2 1 6 

Appointments 2 2 2 

Constitutional amendment ... 5 

General law making 1 8 18 

Meetings 1 4 2 

How a bill may become a law . . 1 72 
First way 1 7 2 

Passed by Congress 

Delivered to President 

Signed by President 

Second way 1 7 2 

Passed by Congress 

Delivered to President 

Veto by President 

Record of veto 

Reconsidered by Congress 

Passed by two-thirds of 

Congress 

Method of voting 

* (After the Vice-President, the Secretary 
of State succeeds to the Presidency.) 



TOPICS FOR STUDY AND REVIEW. 



97 



Text 
Page, 



Record of votes .... 

Third way 

Passed by Congress 

Delivered to President.. .. 
Neglect to approve or 

veto 

Effect of neglect 

Executive Department 12 

Vested in the President 12 

Term of office 

Eligibility 

How elected ? 

By electors 

Appointment 

Number 

Proceedings at meeting 

Proceedings in Congress 

By House of Representatives. . . 

Oath of office 

How removable ? 

Salary (at present $50,000 per 

year) 

Powers and duties 12 

Chief command of army and 

navy 12 

Require opinion of cabinet 

Grant reprieves and pardons 

Make treaties 

Nominate and appoint officers . . 

Fill vacancies 

Send message to Congress 

Convene and adjourn Con- 
gress 



U. S. Const'n 
Art. Sec. Par. 



2 11 

2 11 

2 I 5 



2 12 

2 12 

12 amend't 

12 amend't 

12 amend't 

2 1 8 



98 



OUR STATE AND NATION. 



Veto and approve bills 

Receive Ambassadors and 

Ministers 

Execute the laws of the U. S. . . 

Commission officers 

Cabinet : 13 

Duties 13 

Cabinet departments 

Business relates to what. 13 
Duties of Ambassadors 

State 13 

and Ministers 13 

Duties of Consuls 14 

Treasury 14 

Duties relate to what?. . . 14 

Minor officials 14 

Duties of each 

War 15 

Duties pertain to what ? . . 15 

Minor officials 15 

Duties of each 15 

Military academy 16 

Ranking officers 16 

Commander-in-Chief. . 16 

General-in-Chief 16 

Division and number 16 

General 16 

Division and number. 16 

Lieutenant General... 16 

Division and number. 16 

Major General 16 

Division and number. 16 

Brigadier General .... 16 



Text U. S. Const'n 

Page, Art. Sec. Par. 

I 



7 2-3 



TOPICS FOR STUDY AND REVIEW. 99 

Text U. S. Const'n 

Page, Art. Sec. Par. 

Division and number. 16 

Colonel 16 

Division and number. 17 

? Major 17 

Division and number. 17 

Captain 17 

Division and number. 17 

Navy 17 

Business pertains to what? 17 

Minor officials 17 

Duties of each 17 

Interior 18 

Business pertains to what? 17 

Bureaus 18 

Post Office 18 

Business pertains to what? 18 

Justice 18 

Duties 19 

Assistants 19 

Agriculture 19 

Judicial Department 20 3 1 

Duties 20 

Where vested 21 3 1 

Why should this be a distinct 

department ? . . . . • 20 

Judges 

Appointment 23 2 2 2 

Oath of office 6 . . 3 

Tenure of office 23 3 1 

How removable 23 2 4 

Salary 3 1 

United States Courts 22 

jurisdiction (nth Amendment) .. 3 2 1 

LtfC. 



100 



OUR STATE AND NATION. 



Text U. S. Const'n 
Page. Art Sec. Par. 



Supreme Court 22 • • • • " 

Original jurisdiction 3 2 2 

Appellate jurisdiction 3 2 2 

Chief Justice 22 

Number of Supreme Justices 22 

Trials for crimes 3 2 3 

Trials for treason 3 3 

Inferior Courts . 3 x x 

How created ? 3 l l 

Circuit Court of Appeals . . 22 

Who may preside? , .... 22 

Circuit Courts 22 

How many circuits ? 22 

Who may preside? 22 

District Courts 2 * 

How many districts? 22 

Who may preside ? 

Prohibitions on the United States 

Habeas corpus 

Bill of attainder ex post facto law. . 

Interstate commerce 

Export duties 

Public money 

Public money for armies ■ 

Title of nobility 

Repudiation (14th amend' t, par 4) . 

Religious freedom (1st amendment) 

Civil" freedom (1st amendment) 

Rights of States 

Representation in Congress 

In House l 2 3 

In Senate T 3 T 



I 


9 


2 


I 
I 


9 
9 


3 

G 


I 


9 


5 


I 
I 


9 
8 


7 

] 2 


I 
6 


9 


8 



TOPICS FOR STUDY AND REVIEW. 101 

Text TJ. S. Const'n 
Page. Art. Sec. Par. 

Privilege of citizenship (14th 

amendment) 4 2 1 

Faith in public acts 4 1 

State dismemberment 4 3 1 

Election 1 4 1 

Militia 1 8 16 

Protection by TJ. S 4 4 

Fugitives from justice 4 2 2 

Rights and powers reserved (9th 

and 10th amendments) 

Subordination of States to- U. S 5-7 ... 

Supremacy of U. S. authority 6 . . 2 

Oath of State officials 6 . . 3 

State prohibitions ■ 

State relations 1 10 1-3 

Commercial 1 10 1 

War 1 10 1-3 

Bill of attainder and ex post facto 

law 1 10 1 

Title of nobility 1 10 I 

Duties 1 10 2-2, 

Personal rights " 

Soldiers not quartered in homes .... 3 amend't 

Searches and seizures 4 amend't 

Rights of life, liberty, property, 

trial 5 amend't 

Rights in criminal prosecution 6 amend't 

Rights in civil actions 7 amend't 

Rights in trials for treason 3 3 2 



102 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

STATE GOVERNMENT OF ILLINOIS. 

Rights of a State 

What is the Constitution of a State ? 24 

What does it do ? 24 

How does the State Government differ from the 

National Government ? 24 

About what does it make laws ? 24 

What are the rights of a State in the Union? 
(See "Rights of States," in the topics under 

U. S. Government) 

In what respect is a State Subordinate to the 

U. S. ? (See "Subordination of States") 

W^hat is prohibited to a State? (See "State 

Prohibitions") 

Departments 

Legislative 25 

General Assembly. What are its duties?. ... 25 

What constitutes it? 25 

How does it make laws? 

What is the advantage of two distinct 

houses and the Governor's approval ? . . . 26 
How does it choose a Senator of the U. S. ? 26 

How often and when does it meet? 26 

The Senate 26 

How many Senatorial Districts 26 

How are they named ? 26 

When do the odd-numbered districts elect a 
Senator? When the even-numbered?.. 26 

What is the advantage of this plan ? 26 

What is the length of term? 26 

Who presides at its meetings? 27 

What else does the Senate do than to help 

make laws? J7 

In what District do we live, and who is 



TOPICS FOR STUDY AND REVIEW. 103 

our Senator ? 

The House of Representatives 27 

From what Districts are Representatives 
elected? How many from each? How 

many in the State ? 27 

How long is a term ? 2j 

What is "minority representation?" 27 

Explain how a voter may mark his ballot. 28 

What is the purpose of this plan ? 

Who is the presiding officer? How is he 

chosen ? * 28 

Name some other officers. What do thev 

do? 28 

Who are our Representatives ? 

Explain how business is done by commit- 
tees. What are the advantages of this 

plan? 29 

Executive Department 30 

How does this differ from the National Ex- 
ecutive ? 30 

Name the executive officers 30 

Which serve four years? Which two years? 

Which may not succeed himself? 3 C_, 3* 

Chief executive officers 

Governor 31 

What are his duties? 31 

What is the purpose of his message?. . . 31 

Of what subjects does it treat? 31 

Powers 

To call extra session of General As- 
sembly 32 

Appoint minor officers 32 

Grant reprieves, commutations and 



104 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

pardons. (Explain what these 

mean) 32 

Approve or veto bills. How may a 
law be made in spite of his veto ? . . 32 

To command militia 32 

What is the militia? Where are the 
soldiers? For what may they be 

called into service? 2>S 

Who is our Governor? 

Lieutenant Governor 33 

What are his duties? 33 

Who is the present Lieutenant Gov- 
ernor? 

Secretary of State 34 

What are his duties ? 34 

Who is the present Secretary of State ? . . 

Auditor of Public Accounts 34 

What are his duties? 34~35 

How may he prevent dishonesty in hand- 
ling public money? 35 

Who is the present Auditor ? 

Treasurer 35 

What are his duties? 35 

Who else besides the Treasurer knows 
just how much money he receives and 
pays out? How does he know this? 36 
Why is the Treasurer placed under such 
heavy bond? Why may he not suc- 
ceed himself in office ? 

Who is the present Treasurer? 

The Attorney General 36 

What are his duties? 36 

Who is the present Attorney General?. . 
Superintendent of Public Instruction 37 



TOPICS FOR STUDY AND REVIEW. 105 

What are his duties ? 37 

Who is the present Superintendent ? 

Other executive officers 37 

State Educational Institutions 38 

University of Illinois 

Board of Trustees 

State Normal Schools 

Board of Trustees 

Farmers' Institutes 39 

Board of Directors 

State Charitable Institutions 39 

Hospitals for the Insane 40 

Boards of Trustees 

Institution for the Deaf and Dumb. ... 40 

Board of Trustees 

Institution for the Blind 40 

Board of Trustees 

Asylum for Feeble-Minded Children. ... 41 

Board of Trustees 

Eye and Ear Infirmary 41 

Board of Trustees 

Soldiers' Orphans' Home 41 

Board of Trustees 

Industrial Home for the Blind 41 

Board of Trustees 

Penal and Reformatory Institutions .... 42 
State Penitentiaries 42 

Boards of Commissioners 

State Reformatory 42 

Board of Trustees 

Home for Juvenile Offenders 43 

Board of Trustees 

State Boards 43 

Board of Health 



106 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

Board of Equalization 

Board of Agriculture 

Canal Commissioners 

Railway and Warehouse Commission ... 44 

Commissioners of Public Charities 

Judicial Department 44 

In whom vested ? 45 

Supreme Court 45 

How many Judges ? 

How is the Chief Justice chosen ? 

Where does it meet ? 

Who keeps the records? 

In what cases has it original jurisdiction? 

In what cases appellate jurisdiction?... 46 
In what cases are its decisions not final?. . 46 

Who are the present Supreme Judges ? 

Appellate Courts 47 

Where are these held ? 

How are the Judges appointed ? 

What cases may not come before these 

Courts ? 

Circuit Courts 48 

How many circuits are there? 

How many judges in a circuit? 

How are they elected ? 

In what cases has it original jurisdiction? 

In what cases appellate jurisdiction? 

What are the duties of the Master-in-Chan- 

cery? 49 

Trials by jury 49 

How are all cases decided in the Supreme 

and Appellate Courts? 49 

What is the duty of a jury? 

What is the duty of the Judge in a trial 



TOPICS FOR STUDY AND REVIEW. 107 

by jury ? 

What is the Grand Jury ? 50 

What is an indictment ? 

COUNTY GOVERNMENT. 

Kinds of County Government . 51 

County organization 51 

Township organization 51 

Departments 

Legislative 51 

In whom vested ? 51 

Board of Supervisors 54 

How elected? For what term? 61 

Are all elected the same year? 

Who is Clerk of the Board? 54 

How does it transact business? 54 

Duties and powers 55 

How are suitable men selected to serve on 

juries ? 

County Commissioners 56 

Their duties 

Executive Department 56 

In whom vested ? 

The Sheriff 56 

What are his executive duties? His judicial 

duties ? ;7 

How may a Sheriff be able to put down a re- 
bellion or insurrection? 

Who is our Sheriff? 

The County Clerk 58 

What are his judicial duties ? 58 

What are his chief executive duties? 58 

How is county money paid out ? 50, 



108 OUR STATE AND NATION. 

Who is our County Clerk ? 

The Treasurer 59 

What are his duties as Treasurer? As Su- 
pervisor of Assessments? As Collector?.. 60 

Who constitutes the Board of Review? What 
are its duties ? 

Who is our Treasurer? 

The Recorder 61 

What are his duties? 61 

Who is our Recorder? 61 

The Surveyor 

What are his duties? 61 

How is he paid ? 

Who is our Surveyor? 

County Superintendent of Schools 61 

What are his duties? 62 

Who is our Superintendent? 

Judicial Department 62 

In whom vested ? 

County Court 62 

In what cases has it exclusive jurisdiction? 
What civil cases? What criminal cases?.. 63 

Who is our County Judge? 

Probate Court 

What is probate business? 63 

Who is our Probate Judge ? 

Probate Clerk 

What are his duties ? 64 

Who is our Probate Clerk ? 

State's Attorney 64 

What are his duties? 

Who is our State's Attorney? 

Coroner 

What are his duties? 65 

Who is our Coroner? 



TOPICS FOR STUDY AND REVIEW. 109 

TOWN GOVERNMENT. 

Explain the difference between a Town and a 

Township 66 

How does it differ from the other governments?. 

Who are the legislative department ? 

The Town meeting 68 

When is it held? , 66-68 

Who presides ? 67 

Who keeps the records? 

How is the election conducted ? 67 

W r hat is usually done at the Town meeting?. . 68 

Executive Officers 69 

Supervisor 

What are his duties as a town officer ? 69 

Who is our Supervisor ? 

Town Clerk 

What are his duties ? 70 

Who is our Town Clerk ? 

The Assessor 

What are his duties ? 

How does he know what land is to be as- 
sessed? 

Who is our Assessor ? 

The Collector 

What are his duties ? 

How does he know how much taxes each is 

to pay ? 

What is done when any one refuses to pay his 

taxes? 

Who is our Collector? 

Highway Commissioners 

How are they chosen ? 

Who handles the monev for highways?.... 



110 OUK STATE AND NATION 

What are their duties? 

Who are our Highway Commissioners? 

Town Boards 72 

Board of Appointments ~J2 

Who constitute this board? 

What are its duties ? 

Board of Auditors . . , 

Who constitute this Board ? 

What are its duties ? 

Board of Health 73 

Who constitute this Board? 

What are its duties ? 

Board of Equalization 73 

Who constitute this Board ? 

What are its duties ? 

Judicial officers 73 

Justice of the Peace 73 

In what civil cases has he jurisdiction? In 

what criminal cases ? 

What does he do with a person accused of a 

felony ? 

Who are our Justices of the Peace ? 

Constable 74 

What are his duties ? 

Who are our constables? 



CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. 



We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more 
perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, pro- 
vide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and 
secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do 
ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of 
America. 

ARTICLE I. 

Section 1. All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested 
in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a 
Senate and House of Representatives. 

Sec. 2. The House of Representatives shall be composed of 
members chosen every second year by the people of the several 
States, and the electors in each State shall have the qualifications 
requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State 
legislature. 

No person shall be a Representative who shall not have at- 
tained the age of twenty-five years, and been seven years a citizen 
of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an 
inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen. 

Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among 
the several States which may be included within this Union, 
according to their respective numbers, which shall be determined 
by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those 
bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not 
taxed, three-fifths of all other persons. The actual enumeration 
shall be made within three years after the first meeting of the 
Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent term 
of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct. The 
number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty 
thousand, but each State shall have at least one Representative; 
and until such enumeration sha^ll be made, the State of New 
Hampshire shall be entitled to choose three, Massachusetts eight. 
Rhode Island and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five. 
New York six, New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware 



OUR STATE AND NATION. 

one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Caro- 
lina five, and Georgia three. 

When vacancies happen in the representation from any State, 
the executive authority thereof shall issue writs of election to fill 
such vacancies. 

The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and 
other officers, and shall have the sole power of impeachment. 

Sec. 3. The Senate of the United States shall be composed of 
two Senators from each State, chosen by the legislature thereof, 
for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. 

Immediately after they shall be assembled in consequence of 
the first election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into 
three classes. The seats of the Senators of the first class shall 
be vacated at the expiration of the second year; of the second 
class, at the expiration of the fourth year, and of the third class, 
at the expiration of the sixth year, so that one-third may be 
chosen every second year; and if vacancies happen by resignation 
or otherwise during the recess of the legislature of any State, the 
executive thereof may make temporary appointments until the 
next meeting of the legislature, which shall then fill such vacan- 
cies. 

No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained 
to the age of thirty years, and been nine years a citizen of the 
United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant 
of that State for which he shall be chosen. 

The Vice-President of the United States shall be President 
of the Senate, but shall have no vote unless they be equally 
divided. 

The Senate shall choose their other officers, and also a, Presi- 
dent pro tempore in the absence of the Vice-President, or when 
he shall exercise the office of President of the United States 

The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments. 
When sitting for that purpose, they shall be on oath or affirma- 
tion. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief 
Justice shall preside: and no person shall be convicted without 
the concurrence of two-thirds of the members present. 

Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further 
than to removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy 
any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States; but 
the party convicted shall, nevertheless, be liable and subject to 
indictment, trial, judgment, and punishment according to law. 

Sec. 4. The times, places, and manner of holding elections for 
Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed in each State by 



CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. 

the legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by law 
make or alter such regulations, except as to the places of choos- 
ing Senators. 

The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and 
such meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless 
they shall by law appoint a different day. 

Sec. 5. Each house shall be the judge of the elections, returns, 
and qualifications of its own members, and a majority of each 
shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number 
may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel 
the attendance of absent members, in such manner, and under 
such penalties, as each house may provide. 

Each house may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish 
its members for disorderly behavior, and with the concurrence of 
two-thirds, expel a member. 

Each house shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from 
time to time publish the same, excepting such parts as may in 
their judgment require secrecy, and the yeas and nays of the 
members of either house on any question shall, at the desire of 
one-fifth of those present, be entered on the journal. 

Neither house, during the session of Congress, shall, without 
the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor 
to any other place than that in which the two houses shall be 
sitting. 

Sec. 6. The Senators and Representatives shall receive a com- 
pensation for their services, to be ascertained by law and paid 
out of the Treasury of *he United States. They shall, in all cases, 
except treason, felony, and breach of the peace, be privileged 
from arrest during their attendance at the session of their re- 
spective houses, and in going to and returning from the same; 
and for any speech or debate in either house they shall not be 
questioned in any other place. 

No Senator or Representative shall, during the time for which 
he was elected, be appointed to any civil office under the authority 
of the United States, which shall have been created, or the 
emoluments whereof shall have been increased during such time; 
and no person holding any office under the United States shall 
be a member of either house during his continuance in office. 

Sec. 7. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the 
House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur 
with amendments as on other Dills. 

Every bill which sh?ll have passed the House of Representa- 
tives and the Senate shall, before it becomes a law, be presented 



OUR STATE AND NATION. 

to the President of the United States; if he approve he shall sign 
it, but if not he shall return it, with his objections, to that house 
in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the objections 
at large on their journal and proceed to reconsider it. If after 
such reconsideration two-thirds of that house shall agree to pass 
the bill, it shall be sent, together with the objections, to the other 
house, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved 
by two-thirds of that house it shall become a law. But in ail 
such cases the votes of both houses shall be determined by yeas 
and nays, and the names of the persons voting for and against 
the bill shall be entered on the journal of each house respectively. 
If any bill shall not be returned by the President within ten days 
(Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, 
the same shall be a law, in like manner as if he had signed it, 
unless the Congress by their adjournment prevent its return, in 
which case it shall not be a law. 

Every order, resolution, or vote to which the concurrence of 
the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (ex- 
cept on a question of adjournment) shall be presented to the 
President of the United States; and before the same shall take 
effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him. 
shall be repassed by two-thirds of the Senate and House of Rep- 
resentatives, according to the rules and limitations prescribed 
in the case of a bill. 

Sec. 8. The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, 
duties, imposts, and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the 
common defense and general welfare of the United States; but 
all duties, imposts, and excises shall be uniform throughout the 
United States; 

To borrow money on the credit of the United States; 

To regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the 
several States, and with the Indian tribes; 

To establish an uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform 
laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States; 

To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, 
and fix the standard of weights and measures; 

To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities 
and current coin of the United States; 

To establish post-offices and post-roads; 

To promote the progress of science and useful arts by sec;. 
for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right 
to their respective writings and discoveries; 

To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court; 



CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. 

To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the 
high seas and offenses against the law of nations; 

To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make 
rules concerning captures on land and water; 

To raise and support armies, but no appropriation of money 
to that use shall be for a longer time than two years; 

To provide and maintain a navy; 

To make rules for the government and regulation of the land 
and naval forces; 

To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the law3 
of the Union, suppress insurrections, and repel invasions; 

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the militia, 
and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the 
service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively 
the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training 
the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress; 

To exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever over 
such district (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession 
of particular States and the acceptance of Congress, become the 
seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like 
authority over all places purchased by the consent of the legis- 
lature of the State in which the same shall be, for the erection 
of forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards, and other needful build- 
ings; and 

To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for 
carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other 
powers vested by this Constitution in .the Government of the 
United States, or in any department or officer thereof. 

Sec. 9. The migration or importation of such persons as any 
of the States now existing shall think proper to admit shall not be 
prohibited by the Congress prior to the year one thousand eight 
hundred and eight, but a tax or duty may be imposed on such 
importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each person. 

The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be sus- 
pended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public 
safety may require it. 

No bill of attainder or ex post facto law shall be passed. 

No capitation or other direct tax shall be laid, unless in pro- 
portion to the census or enumeration hereinbefore directed to be 
taken. 

No tax or duty shall be laid on articles exported from any State. 

No preference shall be given by any regulation of commerce 
or revenue to the ports of one State over these of another; nor 



OUR STATE AND NATION. 

shall vessels bound to or from one State be obliged to enter, clear, 
or pay duties in another. 

No money shall be drawn from the Treasury but in conse- 
quence of appropriations made by law; and a regular statement 
and account of the receipts and expenditures of all public money 
shall be published from time to time. 

No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States; 
and no person holding any office of profit or trust under them 
shall, without the consent of the Congress, accept of any present, 
emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, 
prince, or foreign State. 

Sec. 10. No State shall enter into any treaty, alliance, or con- 
federation; grant letters of marque and reprisal; coin money; 
emit bills of credit; make anything but gold and silver coin a 
tender in payment of debts; pass any bill of attainder, ex past 
facto law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts, or grant 
any title of nobility. 

No State shall, without the consent of Congress, lay any 
imposts or duties on imports or exports, except what may be 
absolutely necessary for executing its inspection laws; and the net 
produce of all duties and imposts, laid by any State on imports or 
exports, shall be for the use of the Treasury of the United States; 
and all such laws shall be subject to the revision and control of 
the Congress. 

No State shall, without the consent of Congress, lay any duty 
of tonnage, keep troops or ships of war in time of peace, enter 
into any agreement or compact with another State or with a for- 
eign power, or engage in war, unless actually invaded or in such 
imminent danger as will not admit of delay. 

ARTICLE II. 

Section 1. The executive power shall be vested in a President 
of the United States of America. He shall hold his office during 
the term of four years, and together with the Vice-President, 
chosen for the same term, be elected as follows: 

Each State shall appoint, in such manner as the legislature 
thereof may direct, a number of electors, equal to the whole 
number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may 
be entitled in the Congress; but no Senator or Representative, or 
person holding an office of trust or profit under the United States. 
shaM be appointed an elector. 

[The electors shall meet in their respective States and vote by 



CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. 

ballot for two persons, of whom one at least shall not be an in- 
habitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make 
a list of all the persons voted for, and of the number of votes for 
each; which 'list they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed 
to the seat of government of the United States, directed to the 
President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in 
the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all 
the certificates, and the votes shall then be counted. The person 
having the greatest number of votes shall be the President, if 
such number be a majority of the whole number of electors ap- 
pointed; and if there be more than one who have such majority, 
and have an equal number of votes, then the House of Repre- 
sentatives shall immediately choose by ballot one of them for 
President; and if no person have a majority, then from the five 
highest on the list the said House shall in like manner choose 
the President. But in choosing the President the votes shall be 
taken by States, the representation from each State having one 
vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or 
members from two-thirds of the States, and a majority of all 
the States shall be necessary to a choice. In every case, after the 
choice of the President, the person having the greatest number 
of votes of the electors shall be the Vice-President. But if there 
should remain two or more who have equal votes, the Senate shall 
choose from them by ballot the Vice-President.]* 

The Congress may determine the time of choosing the electors 
and the day on which they shall give their votes, which day shall 
be the same throughout the United States. 

No person except a natural-born citizen, or a citizen of the 
United States at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, 
shall be eligible to the office of President; neither shall any per- 
son be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the 
age of thirty-five years, and been fourteen years a resident within 
the United States. 

In case of the removal of the President from office, or of his 
death, resignation, or inability to discharge the powers and 
duties of the said office, the same shall devolve on the Vice-Presi- 
dent, and the Congress may by law provide for the case of re- 
moval, death, resignation, or inability, both of the President and 

*This clause of the constitution has been superseded by the 
Twelfth Amendment. 



OUR STATE AND NATION. 

Vice-President, declaring what officer shall then act as President, 
and such officer shall act accordingly until the disability be re- 
moved or a President shall be elected. 

The President shall, at stated times, receive for his services 
a compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished 
during the period for which he may have been elected, and he 
shall not receive within that period any other emolument from 
the United States or any of them. 

Before he enter on the execution of his office he shall take the 
following oath or affirmation: 

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute 
the office of President of the United States, and will to the best 
of my ability preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of 
the United States." 

Sec. 2. The President shall be Commander-in-chief of the Army 
and Navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several 
States when called into the actual service of the United States; 
he may require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer 
in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating 
to the duties of their respective offices, and he shall have power 
to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United 
States, except in cases of impeachment. 

He shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of 
the Senate, to make treaties, provided two-thirds cf the Senators 
present concur; and he shall nominate, and, by and with the 
advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors, 
other public ministers and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, 
and all other officers of the United States, whose appointments 
are not herein otherwise provided for, and wl:";j. shall be estab- 
lished by law; but the Congress may by law vest the appoint- 
ment of such inferior officers, as they think proper, in the Presi- 
dent alone, in the courts of law, or in the heads of departments. 

The President shall have power to fill all vacancies that may 
happen during the recess of the Senate, by granting commissions 
which shall expire at the end of their next session. 

Sec. 3. He shall from time to time give to the Congress in- 
formation of the state of the Union, and recommend to their con- 
sideration such measures ias he shall judge necessary and expedi- 
ent; he may, on extraordinary occasions, convene both houses, 
or either of them, and in case of disagreement between them with 
respect to the time of adjournment, 'he may adjourn them to such 
time as he shall think proper; he shall receive ambassadors and 
other public ministers; he shall take care that the laws be faith- 



CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. 

fully executed, and shall commission all the officers of the United 
States. 

Sec. 4. The President, Vice-President, and all civil officers of 
the United States shall be removed from office on impeachment 
for and conviction of treason, bribery, or other high crimes and 
misdemeanors. 

ARTICLE III. 

Section 1. The judicial power of the United States shall be 
vested in one Supreme Court, and in such inferior courts as the 
Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The 
judges, both of the supreme and inferior courts, shall hold their 
offices during good behavior, and shall, at stated times, receive 
for their services a compensation which shall not be diminished 
during their continuance in office. 

Sec. 2. The judicial power shall extend to all cases, in law and 
equity, arising under this Constitution, the laws of the United 
States, and treaties made, or which shall be made, under their 
authority; to all cases affecting ambassadors, other public min- 
isters, and consuls; to all cases of admiralty and maritime juris- 
diction; to controversies to which the United States shall be a 
party; to controversies between two or more States; between a 
State and citizens of another State; between citizens of different 
States; between citizens of the same State claiming lands under 
grants of different States, and between a State, or the citizens 
thereof, and foreign States, citizens, or subjects. 

In all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and 
consuls, and those in which a State shall be a party, the Supreme 
Court shall have original jurisdiction. In all the other cases be- 
fore mentioned the Supreme Court shall have appellate jurisdic- 
tion, both as to law and fact, with such exceptions and under 
such regulations as the Congress shall make. 

The trial of ail crimes, except in cases of impeachment, shall be 
by jury; and such trial shall be held in the State where the said 
crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed 
within any State, the trial shall be at such place or places as the 
Congress may by law have directed. 

Sec. 3. Treason against the United States shall consist only in 
levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giv- 
ing them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of trea- 
son unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt 
act, or on confession in open court. 

The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of 



OUR STATE AND NATION. 

treason, but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of 
blood or forfeiture except during the life of the person attainted. 

ARTICLE IV. 

Section 1. Full faith and credit shall be given in each State to 
the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other 
State. And the Congress may by general laws prescribe the 
manner in which such acts, records, and proceedings shall be 
proved, and the effect thereof. 

Sec. 2. The citizens of each State shall be entitled to all privi- 
leges and immunities of citizens in the several States. 

A person charged in any State with treason, felony, or other 
crime, who shall flee from justice, and be found in another State, 
shall, on demand of the executive authority of the State from 
which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the State having 
jurisdiction of the crime. 

No person held to service or labor in one State, under the laws 
thereof, escaping into another, shall, in consequence of any law 
or regulation therein, be discharged from such service or labor, 
but shall. be delivered up on claim of the party to whom such 
service or labor may be due. 

Sec. 3. New States may be admitted by the Congress into this 
Union; but no new State shall be formed or erected within the 
jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the 
junction of two or more States or parts of States, without the 
consent of the legislatures of the States concerned as well as of 
the Congress. 

The Congress shall have power to dispose of and make all need- 
ful rules and regulations respecting the territory or other prop- 
erty belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Consti- 
tution shall be so construed as to prejudice any claims o£ the 
United States or of any particular State. 

Sec. 4. The United States shall guarantee to every State in 
this Union a republican form of government, and shall protect 
each of them against invasion, and on application of the legis- 
lature, or of the executive (when the legislature cannot be con- 
vened), against domestic violence. 

ARTICLE V. 

The Congress, whenever two-thirds of both houses shall deem 
it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, 
on the application of the legislatures of two-thirds of the several 



CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. 

States, shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which 
in either case shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of 
this Constitution, when ratified by the legislatures of three- 
fourths of the several States, or by conventions in three-fourths 
thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification may be pro- 
posed by the Congress, provided that no amendments which may 
be made prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight 
shall in any manner affect the first and fourth clauses in the 
ninth section of the first article; and that no State, without its 
consent, shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate. 

ARTICLE VI. 

All debts contracted and engagements entered into, before the 
adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United 
States under this Constitution as under the confederation. 

This Constitution, and the laws of the United States which 
shall be made in pursuance thereof, and all treaties made, or 
which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, 
shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every 
State shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or 
laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding. 

The Senators, and Representatives before mentioned, and the 
members of the several State legislatures, and all executive and 
judicial officers both of the United States and of the several 
States, shall be bound by oath or affirmation to support this Con- 
stitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qual- 
ification to any office or public trust under the United States. 

ARTICLE VII. 

The ratification of the conventions of nine States shall be suf- 
ficient for the establishment of this Constitution between the 
States so ratifying the same. 

Done in convention by the unanimous consent of the States 
present, the seventeenth day of September, in the year of our 
Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven, and of 
the independence of the United States of America the twelfth. 
In witness whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names. 
George Washington, President, and Deputy from Virginia. 
New Hampshire — John Langdon, Nicholas Gilman. 
Massachusetts — Nathaniel Gcrham, Rufus King. 
Connecticut— William Samuel Johnson, Roger Sherman. 
New York — Alexander Hamilton. 



OUR STATE AND NATION. 

New Jersey — William Livingston, David Brearly, William Patter- 
son, Jonathan Dayton. 

Pennsylvania — Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Mifflin, Robert Mor- 
ris, George Clymer, Thomas Fitzsimons, Jared Ingersoll, James 
Wilson, Gouverneur Morris. 

Delaware — George Read, Gunning Bedford, Jr., John Dickinson, 
Richard Bassett, Jacob Broom. 

Maryland— James McHenry, Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer, Daniel 
Carroll. 

Virginia — John Blair, James Madison, Jr. 

North Carolina— William Blount, Richard Dobbs Spaight, Hugh 
Williamson. 

South Carolina— John Rutledge, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 
Charles Pinckney, Pierce Butler. 

Georgia— William Few, Abraham Baldwin. 

Attest: William Jackson, Secretary. 

AMENDMENTS. 

ARTICLE I. 

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of 
religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging 
the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people 
peaceably to assembly, and to petition the government for a re- 
dress of grievances. 

ARTICLE II. 

A well-regulated militia being necessary tr the security of a 
free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall 
not be infringed. 

ARTICLE III. 

No soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house 
without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a 
manner to be prescribed by law. 

ARTICLE IV. 

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, 
papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, 
shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue but upon prob- 
able cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly de- 
scribing the place to be searched, and the person or things to be 
seized. 



CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. 

ARTICLE V. 

No person shall be held to answer for a capital or otherwise 
infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a 
grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, 
or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public 
danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to 
be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled 
in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be de- 
prived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; 
nor shall private property be taken for public use without just 
compensation. 

ARTICLE VI. 

In all criminal prosecutions the accused shall enjoy the right 
to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State 
and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which 
district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be 
informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be con- 
fronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory 
process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the 
assistance of counsel for his defense. 

ARTICLE VII. 

In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall 
exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, 
and no fact tried by a jury shall be otherwise re-examined in any 
court of the United States, than according to the rules of the 
common law. 

ARTICLE VIII. 

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines im- 
posed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. 

ARTICLE IX. 

The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not 
be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. 

ARTICLE X. 

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Consti- 
tution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the 
States respectively or to the people. 



OUR STATE AND NATION. 

ARTICLE XL 

The judicial power of the United States shall not be construed 
to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted 
against one of the United States by citizens of another State, or 
by citizens or subjects of any foreign State. 

ARTICLE XII. 

The electors shall meet in their respective States and vote by 
ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, 
shall not be an inhabitant of the same State with themselves; 
they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, 
and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, 
and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as 
President and of all persons voted for as Vice-President, and of 
the number of votes for each; which lists they shall sign and 
certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the 
United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The Presi- 
dent of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House 
of Representatives, open all the certificates and <the vote shall 
then be counted. The person having the greatest number of votes 
for President shall be the President, if such number be a majority 
of the whole number of electors appointed; and if no person 
have such majority, then from the persons having the highest 
numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as 
President, the House of Representatives shall choose immedi- 
ately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the President 
the votes shall be taken by States, the representation from each 
State having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist 
of a member or members from two-thirds of the States, and a 
majority of all the States shall be necessary to a choice. And if 
the House of Representatives shall not choose a President when- 
ever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth 
day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act 
as President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional 
disability of the President. 

, The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-Presi- 
dent shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of 
the whole number of electors appointed; and if no person have 
a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list the 
Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the pur- 
pose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, 
and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a 



CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. 

choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of 
President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United 
States. 

ARTICLE XIII. 

Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except 
as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been 
duly convicted, shall exist within the United States or any place 
subject to their jurisdiction. 

Sec. 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by 
appropriate legislation. 

ARTICLE XIV. 

Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, 
and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United 
States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make 
or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immuni- 
ties of citizens of the United States; ncr shall any State deprive 
any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of 
law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal 
protection of the laws. 

Sec. 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the sev- 
eral States according to their respective numbers, counting the 
whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not 
taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice 
of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States, 
Representatives in Congress, the executive and judicial officers 
of a State, or the members of the legislature thereof, is denied to 
any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one 
years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way 
abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the 
basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion 
which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole 
number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State. 

Sec. 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in 
Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any 
office, civil or military, under the United States or under any 
State, who, having previously taken an oath as a member of 
Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member 
of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of 
any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall 
have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or 



OUR STATE AND NATION. 

given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may, 
by a vote of two-thirds of each house, remove suoh disability. 

Sec. 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, 
authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pen- 
sions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or 
rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States 
nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred 
in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or 
any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such 
debts, obligations, and claims shall be held illegal and void. 

Sec. 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appro- 
priate legislation, the provisions of this article. 

ARTICLE XV. 

Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote 
shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any 
State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. 

Sec. 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article 
by appropriate legislation. 



SEP 17 190! 



